Reason
by missalohahula
Summary: When her mother, Jeanine Matthews, leader of Erudite, decides that it is time to put her plan into action half of the faction is left to wonder why. Only a few of them actually know the true reason. And one of those people is none other than her daughter, Myra. Myra never had a reason to doubt her mother or go against her. That was until her mother got her first love involved.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** **Myra knew the reasons why. First, the faction system could fail at any moment with Abnegation keeping its' members on the counsel. Second, there were secrets that were being hushed up by the council members from the City's founders. Third, the City's resources were truly being wasted on the ungrateful factionless. Fourth, there were threats all around them. Fifth, because mother said so...**

 **When her mother, Jeanine Matthews, leader of Erudite, decides that it is time to put her plan into action half of the faction is left to wonder why. Why does Jeanine want to remove Abnegation from their spot on the City's council? Why does she test random people at all hours in the night in her private lab? Why does she seek an alliance with Dauntless?**

 **While half of the faction hears stories about Jeanine's true plans, only a few of them actually know the true reason. And one of those people is none other than her daughter, Myra. Myra was taught these things as a young child in the faction of Erudite. It was ingrained into her mind. She trusted and believed her mother in everything. That was until her mother got her first love involved.**

 **I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.**

* * *

He held me closer than I thought possible and I knew that our time had come to an end. We had been through so much together and now it was all ending. I shook my head against his chest causing him to let out a short huff. I knew he wasn't pleased with how we were saying goodbye.

"It doesn't have to end this way," I told him.

"I have to do it. You know I do," he replied.

Shaking my head back and forth again I looked up to him. "That's what you think. She can always find someone else to do it. It doesn't..."

"Myra," he said my name softly.

I enjoyed the way he said my name. My name felt like it belonged to an angel the way he said it. This was probably going to be the last time I ever heard him say my name. I couldn't help but close my eyes at that thought. I willed my all my might that the tear that was forming stay in its place. I was not going to cry in front of him. I was not.

"Don't leave," I whispered.

"You'll do fine," he assured. "Besides," there was a tightness in his voice and I opened my eyes trying to blink back the tears to see that there was also an intensity in his jaw. "You have _him_ to help you get by."

"You know he's not the one I want with me," I protested.

"He may not be the one you want now but I know that in time you'll come to forget me."

"That isn't fair," I shook my head. "You're not being fair. You're basically pushing me onto him. You're not even trying to fight for me, to fight for us," I accused but I knew that he was right. I had made a choice whether I knew it or not.

"What are you talking about? I am doing this for _us_. I'm fighting for us now."

"No, you're not. You're fighting for _her_ cause," I argued. "You're going over there and for what?"

"To keep this faction safe, to keep you safe," he reiterated.

"But you're doing it at another faction. The chances of you actually making it are not favorable. Arthur never made it. He was the tallest, strongest one of them all and yet even he didn't make it. You don't belong there. Please, just let her send someone else. Stay here with me," I pleaded.

"I'm going to make it. Not only am I going to pass but I'm going to get first ranking. I'm going to be a leader there," he said determined.

"You can't be!"

"Do you doubt that I'll make it?"

"No," I instantly replied.

"You think I won't make it. You think I'll fail just as everyone else had," he accused.

"No," I shot back once more.

"Then why shouldn't I go?"

"I want you to be here in Erudite. I want you to stay. I want you with me!"

"Like I said," he finally pulled his arms away from me and took a couple steps back. I never thought I would see him look so cold. "You'll have _him_ here to stay with you."

"Stop it," I told him. "You know that..."

"No," he waved his hand. "You need to cut it out Myra. This is what is going to happen. I've been chosen to go and that is where I am going."

That discussion happened the night before his choosing ceremony, the night before he chose to leave me, the night before the one person that I love was taken away from me completely.

"Eric Coulter," Jack Kang called his name.

Eric Coulter was my first kiss. I remembered and always cherished that day that he leaned over in the Erudite library and pressed his lips to mine. It was such a brand new feeling. It was also shocking but so brand new that I didn't want to let it go. Eric let out a small chuckle when I pulled on his jacket to come closer and kiss me again.

I had hoped that he would be my first in everything. The first time he walked me home, the first time he held my hand, the first time I fell off to sleep in his arms while we had our first date, a picnic in one of the nearby parks. Those all belonged to Eric Coulter. The night before my mother and he had dinner was the first time that he had told me he loved me. He held my hand warmly between the both of his and whispered it before kissing me goodnight. My heart was still beating quickly in my chest, ready to explode, when I fell off to sleep that night. That all belonged to Eric Coulter.

Somehow as Eric walked towards the platform the day of his choosing, I remembered all those 'first' moments in time that we shared with one another. They were all slipping away with every step that he took. Little did I know that he had reserved another 'first' for me that I would encounter the next morning of my life.

I watched from my seat, next to Edward, as Eric took the knife from Jack Kang and cut his hand spilling his blood onto the Dauntless coals. I looked over to the right to see my mother smiling proudly.

Every year for the past five years she chose someone who had excelled at her tests to infiltrate Dauntless and work them from the inside. However, every year that initiate that she sent would fail miserably at their task. None of them were able to get in with the leadership there. None of them had ever ranked so high. All of them were just as determined and eager as Eric. I feared that he would end up the same.

You may wonder what made Eric follow my mother's ideals and conform to her thinking. Perhaps he had a bad home life, was abused, or even blackmailed into doing it. But all of that is wrong. My mother took an interest in certain driven overachieving Erudite youths such as Eric and fed their minds with her beliefs. She didn't prey on the weak. They challenged her in no possible way.

Those who were the brightest and best at what they do were given their chance to shine. And what better place to shine or show that you had been so esteemed and accomplished unless my mother, leader of Erudite, had labelled you worthy enough to be part of her elite team. This year Eric Coulter had been selected to go and he felt it honorable that my mother had even decided to grace him with such a privilege.

My friends consisted of people who were eager to please my mother and through extension, me. However, Eric Coulter was never like that. He never let me get away with anything. He always challenged me, refusing to let me win as easily as others had done. He was not part of my mother's team, never showed interest in what she did. He was someone that I could truly call as my own.

That was until the day my mother tested his class and he surpassed every obstacle that was presented him. In fact he outscored all her other favorites.

"What are you doing here, Eric," I smiled when he was standing outside our apartment door later on that night.

"Your mother invited me to dinner," Eric responded as he kissed my cheek.

"I am so glad," I said taking his hand and leading him in.

I was sorely mistaken in thinking that my mother had finally wished to meet the boy whom I had become very close to. I watched as he took in every word that my mother said and responded to her false promises of eternal fame. That was the day that I lost him to my mother.

"You never longed for power and glory, Eric," I screamed at him a few days later when seeing his name upon my mother's list. "Why are you doing this?"

"To protect our city from the filth that had infiltrated it," Eric responded.

"You're like a copy of one of my mother's most recent paper. You took that straight from those pages. Those are her words not yours!"

"They are my own now."

"Eric, don't do this. You're not like this! You don't need to..."

"You are wrong. I do need to do this. I am the only one who _can_."

"My mother tells that to people every year Eric! Every year I see her take the brightest student and send them to Dauntless. You will lose yourself there, Eric. Please do not leave Erudite! Do not leave me," I begged.

My pleas had fallen on deaf ears for the months to come. I never gave up in my requests to keep Eric here. As the months came and gone he had become strictly obedient in everything that my mother told him to do. There was pride that he was the best in his class, honor that he was chosen above the rest, reverence for the one who chose him and a deep disdain for Abnegation, divergence, and factionless alike. Gone were the days that we had shared together as innocent, puppy-love teenagers.

My heart still gave way to hope, like a silly Amity girl, that he would change his mind. Hopefully in the end I would be enough to change his mind. I would be the one who he would stay back in Erudite for. I would be the one that made him remember himself again. The months that followed his agreement to participate in my mother's plans left me unscathed. I continued my pleas for him to turn away. Even on the last day of his presence in Erudite, I still begged for him to remain.

When his blood spilled on the coals of Dauntless bowl, I still imagined that this was all a horrible nightmare. I would wake up and Eric would be back in Erudite. I continued to deny that that day had ever happened. During dinner I was insistent that my mother was lying to me, that what I saw never took place.

"Young Coulter is a very intelligent young man. He is capable of completing his task," my mother said as she sipped lightly at her soup.

I barely turned from my plate, giving her a soft humph in response. From the feeling that I got I knew my mother was lifting her eyebrow at me, trying to read my next move.

"The Divergent and factionless situation is becoming too much to handle. You know just as well as I do that there needs to be balance in this system. We need to establish a priority for the factions first. The Abnegation think too much about the factionless and I just know that my calculations are correct. Abnegation and factionless are hiding the Divergent threat, chalking it up to be some myth made by the founders of this City."

"Why are you bringing this up at the dinner table, mother?"

"I only brought it up because you seem a bit worried about Eric," she continued.

"Of course I am worried. You lead them to the slaughter sending them to Dauntless. Eric does not stand a chance," I snapped turning to her.

My mother put her spoon down and glanced over at me, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Eric has passed every test that I gave to him, Myra. Every test," she repeated. "He will succeed. He will give me Dauntless and in turn we will end all those who ruin the faction system."

"Why couldn't you have chosen someone else? Why did it have to be Eric?"

"Because he is the best and he will not fail me," my mother stated as she stood up from the table. "There will be no more discussions of him, especially from you," she added.

"Eric Coulter was mine," I yelled standing up. My mother turned to look at me with eyes cold as ice. "He was mine and you took him from me."

"Yes I did. You should know by now, daughter dearest that mother always gets what she wants. I needed Eric, the best and brightest of his age, to go to Erudite to secure the things necessary to start this. He was yours and now he belongs to the cause. Now get over it Myra. I told you that day he left our house that I had recruited him. I did my best to spare your hurt feelings by forbidding your continued friendship with him. I even offered you a replacement."

"You speak of Eric and Edward as those they were mere toys. They are people," I shouted back to her.

Mother walked forward. "They are pawns in our game. You are too young to realize that," she grabbed my forearm and pulled me to her. "I will not have you forget your place for some foolish teenage fantasy! Eric is gone Myra."

"You're wrong! Eric will come back for me! He'll come back."

"There was no love between the two of you. And forgive me for being so openly frank but his fear for me outweighs any affection he had for you," she said as the tears I had held back for months ran down my face. "You will find solace in Edward as I told you to do months ago. You will forget all about Eric Coulter. You will not attempt to distract him from his task or so help me I will abandon you without a second thought!"

Not even my mother's words could affect me in the slightest. I still believed that there was some part of him that would come back. The boy who held me, whispering lovely words was still there. He was still there somewhere. I laid my body down in bed that night knowing that this was all a horrible nightmare. The argument between me and my mother had never taken place. The agreement Eric made with her had never occurred. The relationship mother forced on me with Edward did not happen. Eric's choosing ceremony was all but a farce!

However, when I did wake the next morning and realized that he was not there anymore, that was when I was given another first from Eric. The 'first' that I thought would never come.

That day I received my first broken heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.**

* * *

"Edward," I giggled as he pulled me closer onto his lap. It had been a year since Eric had left and I did not think that I would have forgotten him in time but I did end up moving on.

My mother was correct. I found solace in Edward's company after ignoring him for a couple months, only greeting him the next month, and then finally looking at him. It had been a total of six months that had passed from Eric's departure when I decided to give Edward the time of day.

I went to visit Eric during visiting day only to see him talking to another girl. She was smiling and twirling her hair around her finger too flirtatiously for my liking. Eric paid no attention to her and at first I thought that he still loved me.

"Eric," I called to him and hurried over.

Eric moved from his spot and walked towards me. I was beyond excited to see him again and thought that I could run into his arms and forget this whole mess. There was a certain brightness in his eyes when we looked at each other and a small smile that played on his lips. I almost thought that he missed me too until his eyes turned distant and his smiled disappeared. Eric strolled right pass me and shook my mother's hand. He spoke to my mother for a brief moment before leaving the small area where other parents were gathered.

I wanted to run after him but my mother requested that we leave. "He has forgotten about you, Myra. It is time you move on," my mother said when we entered her car.

"That wasn't Eric," I replied.

"Are you pouting like a little child," she asked with a tone of disgust laced on her voice.

I shook my head. "You changed him. That wasn't Eric that we saw."

"Regardless," my mother cleared her throat. "I suggest you forget about him. He is in Dauntless and the people there are immoral and improper. I will not have any daughter of mine associating with the likes of a man who stoops to that type of degradation."

"You're the one who put him there!"

"Eric Coulter went there willingly. I just informed him of what was important and he took it upon himself to come here," Jeanine straightened out her blouse. "And for what it's worth, he's missing his mark. I wanted first place and he guaranteed me nothing but greatness would come of this. Unfortunately it looks like I'm stuck with second best once again."

I turned in my chair to look out the window. My mother was going to choose another protégé soon and now she just wrote Eric off as a loss cause. He should have stayed back in Erudite.

Anger hit me like never before when we got back. He had chosen this. I warned him for months and yet he chose this. My mother's voice echoed in my head. Eric Coulter went there willingly. He left me willingly. She didn't force him. My mother never forced any of them to leave. She just painted a deceptively beautiful picture in front of them of what their reward would be if they succeeded and they went. No one knew of the consequences or the trials that they would face. They were all thought to be the best, by Erudite standards. That meant nothing in Dauntless just as I had meant nothing in Eric's decision. I got out of my room that night and walked purposely over to where Edward's building was.

"Myra, are you okay," Edward came out of their apartment.

I pushed myself onto him, pressing my lips to his harder than I ever did with Eric. "Make me forget him," I begged between kisses. Edward didn't hear but his body complied with what mine was suggesting and started to kiss down my jaw and over to my neck. Make me forget Eric Coulter, I chanted in my head. I wanted to forget his eyes, his smirk, his arms, his lips, everything about him.

For brief moments in my relationship with Edward, I did forget about Eric. But nothing lasts forever and the second the kiss, make-out session or love making had been done, my mind immediately went to Eric. The first time Edward and I made love, I cried. A couple girls who I knew said that it was the pain of my _first_ experience. In reality it was the pain that it wasn't with someone I was in love with. The truth of the matter was the whole time I was thinking about Eric. I wanted this first to be with Eric.

Now, still a year later I thought about Eric. Even as Edward was kissing down my cheek and caressing my thigh closer onto him, I thought about Eric. I closed my eyes tighter waiting for the split second where my body's pleasure would take over and erase Eric from my memory. But today it was not to come to me.

"Myra, I'm home," my mother announced as I huffed and pulled away from Edward.

Edward looked a bit frustrated that I would always end things abruptly. I never really cared if my mother came home to interrupt me and Edward's personal time. What I was upset about was the fact that my 'distraction' to forget Eric had ended. I straightened out my blouse, zipped my skirt back up, and pulled my hair into a pony tail as I walked out of my room. Edward was following close behind me still a little irritated but put on his best serious face that he could muster for my mother.

"Edward," mother smiled softly. "Just the person I wanted to speak to."

The way she said it made my heart stammer in my chest. It was like Deja vu all over again.

"Edward was just leaving, mother. He had something to attend to and seeing that we are done studying," I looked to him and gave him a slight nod to hurry towards the door.

"Nonsense," the creepy voice from the blonde woman in the pristine blue dress suit sailed through the room towards me. I glared at her but she remained unmovable. "Edward dear," she held up her hand and motioned for him to follow her. "I've been meaning to talk to you about some test results."

The following morning I found out that Edward had been recruited as well.

"Why are you doing this," I asked my mother as she sipped her coffee and scrolled through her electronic tablet. "You've already sent in Eric. You took him away from me, the one person that I cared about and you took him."

"I gave you a replacement."

"Exactly," I pushed my bowl of oats away and stood up. "You told me that I could have Edward. And now you've selected him as well."

"Eric placed second in ranking."

"Yes," I nodded but quickly shook my head. "Yet from what I remember during your last meeting, he recently was appointed leader. You got your Dauntless leader. Why do you need to take..."

"Do you want me to find you another playmate, Myra darling," mother stood from the table and set her cup of coffee down. "Is that what all this fuss is about?"

"I don't want another. Just leave Edward alone."

"You never cared for him the way you did for Eric," Jeanine turned to walk around the table.

"I do care for Edward."

"I saw the way you ignored him at first when I introduced the two of you. There was something in your eyes that said you had not given up on Eric coming back to you," mother said.

"None of that matters. Eric never will come back."

"What if I bought him back?"

I looked up at my mother as my breath caught.

"What if I send Edward in his place and have Eric come home to you? Would you want that Myra?"

Before I could even think, the words slipped from my mouth. "Yes!"

"Would that make you happy?"

"Yes. I want Eric back!"

"Call him and tell him," my mother placed her tablet down in front of me.

I looked wearily at her and then my gaze dropped to her electronic tablet. Eric was just a few buttons away, just a call away really. In reality though, he was not. There was no way my mother would allow him to come back and if he did there would be consequences.

"That could never happen," I looked down quickly as a tear fell from my eyes.

"Why?"

I closed my eyes as yet another tear fell.

"Tell me why," my mother demanded.

"Because he swore to you that he would complete his mission," I answered. "He swore that he would place first, gain leadership, ally Dauntless and Erudite, and bring an end to the Abnegation who oversee the City Council. He swore it," I sniffed. "And you would never allow him to take it back."

"That is true. And why is that true my darling?"

"Because he would be breaking his promise," I gulped knowing that she had just taunted me with false hopes. If I had said yes and Eric had come back, I shook my head at the thought of what could happen to him.

"What happens when someone breaks a promise they swore to me," she softly asked as her hand ran through my hair.

"You end them."

"Eric swore to his job and knows what his consequences are should his performance lax in anyway. You should already know that nothing will stand in my way, Myra, not even my daughter's love for a man."

"If you won't bring Eric back, then why are you sending Edward," I looked up. "Isn't Eric enough?"

"Eric is slipping from his job. Edward has been reading material on how on physical strength since he was young. He can go in there and take it all," she explained while patting my cheek. "Eric will always have a place on my team in the future when this is all over but that will never be by you because of his failure to get first ranking." My mother moved my face to look up at her. "He was strong but obviously not strong enough. I did not mean to take Edward away also but if Eric had kept his end of the deal then I would not have gone to such measures to send in another. Do you understand?"

I nodded.

"Good," she smiled and stood up straighter. "Do not worry my child. I will find you another companion."

"Can I pick my own this time," I dared to ask as I stared at a small spot on the dining table.

"You really did not approve of my choice in young Edward?"

Taking in a breath, I shook my head.

"I would say yes," my mother debated. "However, I would need to make sure your selection is up to my standards."

"Yes, mother," I nodded.

"You are so much like your father," she touched my hair lightly.

That was the first time in a while I had heard her talk about my father. In fact the last time she bought him up was the day I had kissed Eric for the first time. She had found out and when I had arrived home, was holding a picture of my father and her when they were teenagers.

"Let us hope that you do not meet the same end as he did," she pulled away her hand, flexing her fingers and then walked away completely.

I don't even know my father's name. I had never really seen pictures of him, only the one that my mother held that one night. I was not permitted to inquire about or search for my father. According to my mother it was a horrible divorce and she wished to shield me from the pain that she had to endure should I find that he did not love me either.

Eric was the only person I had spoken to about my father. I had expressed the desire to see him or at least speak with him. Perhaps he did not love my mother but surely he could come to love me, right? Eric and I had theories that he was someone who my mother had worked closely with on her team. However that proved false. Many of the men on her team were married and the ones who were not were too young to be my father.

All research on anything related to the man who had created me ceased the day that Eric began to work for my mother. Now that she had mentioned him, I had a new found pain that wretched at my heart. My father did not love me either or did not love me enough to stay and know me.

The weeks had gone by and Edward and I had grown distant. I had not been encouraging him on. There was no need to. He belonged to my mother. That did not stop him from his attempts to win me back. There were flowers that were sent to our apartment. I hate roses, I thought as I threw them away the second he had left.

Edward continued in his affections until I stopped him from kissing me goodbye when he walked me home.

"What is it Myra?"

"You belong to my mother now," I told him.

"I don't understand."

"Edward she wants you to go to Dauntless. Did she not tell you this?"

Edward looked at both ends of the hallway and then nodded for us to go in. I didn't want to let him in the apartment but something told me that he had a matter of utmost importance to discuss with me.

"I'm betraying your mother," he said softly and quickly once we were in my room.

I looked at him shocked and confused. What did he mean by that? "You're not going to go along with her plan?"

"I do not care about these Divergent or the Abnegation seated on the Council. They are truly selfless Myra. They mean no harm to anyone except themselves," Edward started.

"But they are hiding food and giving it to the factionless," I countered. "My mother told me that herself. She showed me the numbers, the statistics," I said. "Evidence doesn't lie."

"Not unless the evidence was fabricated," Edward suggested.

I did not notice that he had taken a hold of my hand. The words that he was saying made me confused and angry. He was going to betray my mom and for what exactly? I pulled my hand away and took a step back, debating whether or not to slap him.

"You are calling my mother a liar."

"I am simply saying that she is prejudice, misinformed, and manipulative. She has been swaying half of this faction ever since she became a leader. I'm not blind to it. Don't you see, Myra? Your mother views divergence as a threat."

"Hush," I looked around, even though we were in my room. "You say that word so easily."

"It is not a crime. Its taboo, not something readily or easily spoken of in normal society but I know that you've been told all about it. Myra, people who are like that have received a talent, a gift. They can be taught, nurtured to behave one way or to form their own way of thinking."

"It damages the faction system."

"It will help it become stronger. It will show us where we went wrong."

"There's nothing wrong with..."

"Human nature," Edward simply said. "Your mother's words," he reminded and I nodded. "It is human nature for your mother to rebuff such thinking. She is traditional and only sees the letter of the law for what it is. There are no exceptions, no in between, no alternative. But there is and the divergence is proof of that."

"What do you intend to do?"

"If I go to Dauntless I plan on exposing Eric, exposing your mother, make known what they are doing to innocent people and to the Council."

"If," I titled my head at him.

"The action of me going still depends upon one person and it's not your mother," Edward pressed a kiss to my cheek. "It's you."

"Me?" He nodded. "But why?"

"Myra," Edward said softly taking a step towards me. "Myra you must know by now. I am in love with you. There is nothing, no one else in this City or any other city like it that could ever inspire me the way you do, no one else that I would rather cherish but you. You deserve a better life than what your mother plans for you, Myra. You deserve so much more. All you need is someone to love you Myra," Edward took both of my hands in his. "Let me love you Myra. Let me show you that you are worth it."

I searched his eyes and saw only sincerity in them. Here was Edward, willing to risk my mother's displeasure just for something he believed in. He didn't belong to my mother. He belonged to himself. He had his own ideals and thoughts and majority of it centered on _me_.

Despite his words, I could not help but remember the last person who told me he loved me. It was Eric and he left me. My father had left me as well. My mother held no such sympathy for me since.

"Would you stay back if I asked you to?"

"Yes."

"Even if that meant my mother causing you harm?"

"I would do anything for you Myra," he ran a hand down my cheek.

I had begged Eric to stay. For months I had pleaded with him. Here was someone willingly to give up all the glory my mother promised for me. It was all for me! Without letting another word fall from either of us, I grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him towards my bed, stripping both of our clothing between kisses until I let Edward devour me. I finally had someone to call my own.


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.  
**

* * *

Time was the enemy against Edward's plans to uproot my mother. The more he researched the more he came to see that he was not able to find anything at all. We had gotten into zero arguments about it. I let him do his research. It was something that he was alone in. Majority of our classmates felt that Edward had been given a privilege. He secretly had begun to ask a couple of them for help in his research. Though they wouldn't have minded researching a new project, they were fearful of going up against Erudite's leader, my mother. Edward seemed to be the only one who wanted to.

Time was all that Edward and I had to build into a deeper understanding of the other person. It was different than talking to most people. Edward was affectionate and caring. Where other Erudite children lacked in displays of affection, Edward made up for it. After spending so much time with him I got to see him on a meaningful level. There was more to his plan than just 'betraying' my mother and I adored him for it.

"You see this here," Edward pointed out to a graph. "Divergent genes cannot be controlled. Let me run this simulation for you."

After pressing a few buttons and swiping at the screen on his electronic tablet, I could actually see what he was talking about. There was a certain excitement to see the genes reacting and also obstructing any interference that it was met with.

"Your mother wants to wipe it out."

"The reason for that is because it could bring damage to the faction system," I shook my head.

"Myra look at that cell interaction," Edward pointed back to the image. "Divergence in our cells does not mean the end of the faction system, it could be improved upon."

"Name one thing that can be improved by someone who behaves differently than what they are taught," I sassed, which is unusual even for me.

"The City Council," Edward said as I dropped my smile. "Imagine it, Abnegation sits on the Council. Yes they think about putting others first but there really is no leadership there, no true leadership. Someone who is Abnegation yet has Dauntless divergence genes in them could better understand Dauntless needs. The same would apply if someone had Erudite divergence genes. Decisions could be made rationally, logically, soundly," Edward continued.

I slowly shook my head. "It just seems wrong."

"That's only because you believe what your mother tells you," Edward smiled. After a minute of silence he took my hand and moved it over the tablet. "You should research for yourself Myra. Do you really agree with everything your mother does?"

And in truth I did not agree with everything. That was the first time in months that I had gone back to thinking about Eric. I had never told Edward about Eric and me. My mother's words hurt me further that day when Edward had shown me his research. He actually told me to research for myself. I had been so blind as to believe my mother that I let her walk all over me, control me, manipulate me and then discard me. Edward on the other hand not only believed something else, he had gotten evidence. Sure the evidence wasn't complete but it was there nonetheless.

As the months disappeared, I had hoped to reverse time. I needed more time to help Edward. He let me have my own opinions, draw my own conclusions. I had found a voice with Edward, a voice that I didn't know I had.

Edward had begun delving not just into research but into physical training. He had done running and read up on the material but as time disappeared so did the skinny and tall geeky boy. Edward had begun to bulk up over time and may I just say it was appealing to the eyes. No matter how muscular he had gotten, Edward remained the calm and gentle soul with me.

Another had been chosen the year before Edward and me to go to Dauntless. Like so many before him, he had failed by placing fifth in the ranking. Eric was able to get him a job close to leadership but it still was not enough for my mother and therefore her constant reminders to Edward of his responsibility and duty.

My mother had begun looking for a replacement for a companion for me since I had continued my attachment to Edward.

"Soon will come time for him to leave Myra," mother reminded me. "I will not have you become too heavily attached to him. Did you forget what happened when Eric had left? Time waits for no man. You need to end things and soon."

"I know," I ate our dinner and refused to look at her. However Edward's words had begun to play in my mind.

 _"You should research for yourself Myra."_

 _"It could be improved upon."_

 _"Decisions could be made rationally, logically, soundly..."_

I definitely needed more time to make a decision. I wanted to voice concern over the short duration of the aptitude test and that of the choosing ceremony. With my mother being a leader perhaps she could bring it up to the faction leaders. Even if the aptitude test said something, what if it wasn't what I wanted? What if it wasn't where I was needed? Wouldn't it be more practical that I go somewhere where I was needed, where I wanted to go? I had to research that choice for myself and yet I was running out of time.

"Myra, are you listening to me," my mother voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"Yes, mother."

"You have not chosen a companion yet. I have a few names of potential candidates. There is Gilbert. He is two years older than you and just started teaching at the elementary level. He is a genius in mathematics. If you prefer someone your age there is William..."

"Will," I cried out and almost broke into laughter. My mother looked at me sternly as if to remind me once again about my behavior at the dinner table. I let out a sigh and drank some water before beginning. "Mother, William is a nice young man to be sure. But you told me that I could choose. Just give me more time to choose. I don't want to do anything rash. Surely you would agree that a decision such as this cannot be hastily made."

Mother seemed proud that I was finally making a concrete decision about my future.

Sooner than I thought, our aptitude test and choosing ceremony was just days away. Edward sat down across from me at the library and looked intently at what he was reading. I knew he had given up reading an hour or so ago. His mind was on the determined betrayal that he was about to embark on.

"You should go to Dauntless," I answered Edward's silent question.

"Are you certain you want me to leave?"

"No," I shook my head. "I want you to stay with me. But you haven't found any more evidence within this past year. Perhaps if you went to Dauntless, allied with Eric and the others that my mother sent," I looked around to make sure no one was around. "Perhaps then you can gather more information."

"I'm beginning to think it's a lost cause."

"Don't say that."

"I've been researching this thing for a year ever since your mother recruited me and still I cannot find anything."

"You are just one person Edward," I touched his arm. "You cannot do it all. Go to Dauntless," I instructed. "You can still obtain the evidence you need there. You can see firsthand what my mother has them doing. You've been reading those manuals on fighting technique and all those other things," I waved my hand. "I have a feeling that that is where you can continue your research. That is where you can bring my mother down."

Edward ran a hand over my cheek and smiled.

"You believe in me? You believe that I can do it?"

"I know you can," I took his hand from my face and held it close to me.

That night and every night before the choosing ceremony, Edward and I spent it in each other's arms. As much as I didn't want him to go, I knew that he would be of better use at Dauntless. Not to mention that if he stayed, my mother would have just made our lives a living hell. That is, it already was like that for me but it would be unbearable for me to watch Edward have to endure it as well just because I wanted to keep him with me.

"Myra," mother called me from my room the morning of the choosing ceremony. It was too early and I wondered what had provoked her into wanting to arrive before everyone else. Edward had just discreetly left my room and we were planning on meeting up to spend the morning together. Maybe she had seen Edward leave?

My footsteps were slow coming out of the room. Time had flown by quickly. No matter how much I had prayed for it to stop or slow down. Edward was leaving me and this time I was allowing it. I had not come to love him as I did Eric but there was always going to be a place for Edward in my heart. The time we spent together was different. It was not exciting or challenging like it had been with Eric but it was full of gentleness and understanding.

"Gilbert," I said shocked as he stood there in the middle of our living room. Gilbert put on a courteous smile and bowed slightly.

"Ah there you are," my mother stood from her chair and turned to face me. "Gilbert has agreed to escort you to the choosing ceremony this morning. Isn't that lovely, Myra?"

"I was going to go with Edward."

My mother's smile faltered but she held herself composed and serene as if she were out in public.

"If Myra had already planned to give a farewell to Edward then there is no," Richard started but my mother raised her hand and just like that he went silent.

"My daughter will not refuse."

The look she gave me said it all. This was not my mother. This was Jeanine Matthews, leader of Erudite standing before me. After I was ordered to get dressed and have a nice breakfast with Gilbert and mother, I was then taken by Gilbert to a small garden to discuss our upcoming courtship. Mother had spoken with him weeks ago apparently and everything seemed to be in order.

The entire ride to the choosing ceremony I had been silent, pondering how my mother had made every decision in my life for me. Yesterday when I had come home from my aptitude test she had already knew the result and with that had determined that my place was to be with her in Erudite. Evidently she had taken it upon herself to steer me onto any path she wanted.

 _"Divergence in our cells does not mean the end of the faction system."_

 _"That's only because you believe what your mother tells you."_

 _"Do you really agree with everything your mother does?"_

"Myra darling?"

I shook my head. "Forgive me, Gilbert. I was deep in thought about something."

"If this is too sudden for you then I understand completely. Your mother said that you might be hesitant and that I should give you a moment or so to adjust to the arrangement."

I looked at him and realized just how completely different he was from not only Eric but Edward as well. Edward, who had been putting on the weight and muscles slowly with time, was different from Gilbert. Edward, who had been respectful of my opinions, was different from Gilbert. Here was another man who had become my mother's mindless slave. Gilbert smiled and took my hand in the back of one of my mother's cars and gave it a gentle squeeze. There was nothing affection about it and I knew that I would wither away if I stayed in Erudite.

The choosing ceremony was a nerve wracking one for me indeed. I was confident that I would be staying but now with the circumstance my mother presented me this morning I was uncertain. I sat there next to Gilbert, throwing glances towards Edward. There was a kind smile on his face and forgiveness in his eyes. He knew that Gilbert was my mother's choice. Then again, he had been as well but I never told him that. Perhaps in time I could come to like Gilbert as I did with Edward.

"William Turner."

My eyes left Edward's and looked up on stage.

"Dauntless," Abnegation's leader called.

I sat there with my mouth agape. I did not know that Will was part of my mother's plans. Edward cast me a look that read confusion as well. A few other dependents our age had chosen to stay in Erudite, being welcomed back by their parents' subtle nods of approval. What would I be going back to?

"Myra Matthews."

Gilbert patted my hand and I walked with all the determination that I could muster up onto that stage. My mother had put on a proud smile if I ever saw one. Of course she had to. She was sitting up on stage and everyone was watching not just me but her as well. All of Erudite would be talking about this. And that was when something deep in me had broken.

I had always believed what my mother taught about Divergence until someone told me to research it for myself.

I had always did what my mother thought was best suited to her plans until I was allowed to share my own opinions and was given a voice.

I had always trusted what my mother had decided was for the best of this faction system and for me until I realized it wasn't what I wanted anymore.

I took the knife, cut my hand, closed my eyes and let the blood drip down. I could not hear what Abnegation's leader had said but I heard the shock that swooped through the Erudite faction and heard the sound of a chair scraping back as its occupant stood up. When I opened my eyes, the blood had finally disappeared on the coals and my mother was panting with rage.

When we had filed out and began to follow the Dauntless, someone had reached their hand out to grab mine and pulled me with them. A flurry of black clothed dependents had begun running. I did not need to look forward to know that it was Edward who had grasped my hand. I also did not need to look forward to know that it was Edward who had pulled me up with him onto the train.

"I can't believe you did that," he said bringing me flushed against his chest. I turned my head to look up thinking that I would see disappointment but there was nothing but excitement in his eyes and care in his smile. "You stood up to your mother," he whispered before leaning in to kiss me. "I always knew you were strong enough to do so."

Acceptance.

Comfort.

Respect.

Those were things that I never would have gotten from Gilbert or my mother. I clung onto Edward as we rode the train to Dauntless. Will was standing next to Edward talking about something. Edward revealed in our own little language what his plans were in coming to Dauntless to Will.

"Divergent," Will said softly. "It's all Jeanine and the people in Erudite labs ever talk about. You believe that myth? The evidence shows that..."

"I believe in it but I am fighting for them," Edward whispered to him.

I didn't bother to listen to the rest. I kept myself buried in Edward's arms. This is where I belonged. I belonged with someone who let me be my own person. Edward had assisted me in jumping off and almost immediately upon falling face forward onto the ground I came to realize how difficult this was going to be for me. I should have done more than just admire Edward's body in motion while he had progressed in his physical training. Edward put an arm around my shoulder and kept me securely tucked into his side as we started to gather in a group on the roof.

"Congratulations, you all jumped off of a moving train," a voice announced from the front. The voice was full of mockery and did not mean anything in offering its recognition to our most recent accomplishment. "However you have not yet arrived in Dauntless," he taunted. "To get there, you enter through here."

My head still cuddled into Edward's side finally turned. I hated being short.

"Eric wants us to jump off the building," Edward whispered into my hair.

"Eric," I jerked my head back and looked over Will in front of me to see the figure standing on the ledge was none other than Eric himself.

The man who had come to love and then given the first opportunity had left me. He looked taller than I remember him and had put on way more weight and muscle than Edward. My breath instantly caught itself. The man looked handsome, though I did not care for the few piercings on him. The tattoos were formidable, his arms built, his form tall and his smirk was wicked. He had slowly become the stuff of fantasy for me. I turned away before his eyes could fall on me.

"So who's it going to be?"

After a few moments of silence a quiet Abnegation girl had stepped forward. Everyone had jumped off before I did, even Edward who kissed my forehead and told me that he would see me at the bottom.

"Are you going to go, Erudite? Or do you need some encouragement?"

I looked up and saw that I was the last one there, alone with Eric. Perhaps I had wanted it that way. The second our eyes met, Eric's smirk disappeared.

"Myra," his voice was all but a whisper and I remembered how much I enjoyed hearing him say my name.

Memories of our time together had flooded back and desperately as I tried to forget them, I couldn't. He was my first love. I did not care what my mother or others had said. I had given my heart to Eric Coulter, the person standing before me.

"You can't be here," his face turned cold and his eyes narrowed at me. "Get down into the net and wait for me when they let you off. I'm taking you back to Erudite."

There was a net down there? I thought that was both brilliant and sadistic. No doubt that was a tactic to scare and intimidate new comers.

"Did you hear me, Myra?"

"Yes, I did," I raised my chin. "But I'm not going back."

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm not!"

"Myra, you can't do this. You're not part of the plan. You'll never make it," Eric pleaded.

"Isn't it ironic how the tables have turned," I smiled and walked forward towards the ledge. Eric reached out and grabbed my arm. "You broke my heart Eric. You don't get to tell me what to do. And you know why that is? That is because you left me. You made that decision and now I'm making my own. I could care less what my mother had planned but I am not part of her plan anymore."

I ripped my arm away and threw myself off the ledge. I was tethering on insanity. Part of me had wanted to run into his arms and never leave yet the other part of me, the part that was still Jeanine's daughter told me that Eric no longer cared about me. Eric was just another puppet to my mom. The happiness that I saw sparkle in his eye when he saw me had died out quickly. He wanted me gone and would gladly have thrown me back to Erudite to suffer all my mother's censure.

I hated him. I hated myself. I started to hate Edward as well. My mind was a confused mess now that I had been back in Eric's presence. That night in Dauntless as I stayed curled up in Edward's arms it dawned on me the severity of my choice.

When cutting my hand and spilling my blood, I did not think of bringing Eric into this calculation. I misjudged my feelings for him that were obviously still there. I had come here with a purpose and acceptance. But now it was disappearing and that was all thanks to Eric Coulter. I had finally made a decision for myself but I wondered if it was a good decision.


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.**

* * *

The physical training was truly a hardship for me to undergo. I had never been used to manual labor. I had briefly noticed that there was an Abnegation transfer who was struggling as well but there was determination in her eyes every time she missed shooting at the target or had thrown a horrible punch. I on the other hand began believing Eric's words on the roof that first day I had arrived here.

Eric had gone through great lengths to ignore my presence. I had not been there for a day and I had already seen his hardened shell. There truly was no Eric Coulter from before, at last not outwardly. His presence was harsh on the other initiates and on me. I had seen him verbally and also mentally abuse us. A few other initiates had cried at night.

"I cannot believe that is the same Eric," I said as I threw weak punch after yet another weakened punch.

"Here," Edward got up and stood behind me. "You are throwing your whole body into it," he placed his hands on my waist.

No one seemed to care about our displays of affection out in public. No one even glanced in our direction. The only person who did was Eric. The way he sat down looking at us as his arms were folded across his chest was if he was willing in his mind for me to disappear.

"I believe he does not think I'm suited to assist your mother," Edward broke me away from mine and Eric's stare.

I cleared my throat and began to throw small punches at the bag. My fingers stung with every throw and I was still leaning far too much into the blow. "What makes you say that?"

"He informed me that initiation is not a time for fraternizing," answered Edward. "You are proving to be a distraction for me."

"Perhaps I am," I said softly hitting the punching bag again. "You're going to be so worried about helping me that you might not get first ranking."

"Myra," Edward pulled away from the bag and held my two hands in his. "You are not distracting me. You know that I am only using Eric to get more information about your Mother and her plans. The more I have the more the Council will be able to assist us. We'll get through this together."

Together, I thought as I leaned my head against Edward's chest. There was so much care for me wrapped up in this one man. Despite seeing how he moved out there on the mat, I knew that he had nothing but love, kindness, and respect towards me. As I said before it was something that I was hardly ever afforded in Erudite.

"You need to be careful, Edward," I closed my eyes as I listened to his heart beat. Edward's soft hands soothed my hair and he pressed an always gentle kiss to my forehead. "Eric is Erudite born. He may sniff you out before you even get the chance."

"I know how to play at their games," he said pulling back.

"Please, Edward," I pleaded. "Eric, he's," I paused and shook my head. "Well he's just something else. He's not the same as he once was." My eyes went back to Eric to see his head tilt at me. He had been observing mine and Edward's conversation this entire time.

"Will," Eric yelled while keeping his eyes trained on me.

"Yes sir," Will turned around slowly with a pale expression.

"In the ring," ordered Eric.

"They're not ready," our initiation instructor, Four had tried to reason with Eric. "They're not even close enough to..."

"Myra," Eric shouted after me.

I gulped and looked down. Was he calling me to...

"Let's see the two of you fight," Eric's voice boomed.

Yes, Eric had wanted us to fight. And he didn't put me against just anybody either. It was someone who I had grown up with. This was someone who I went to classes, study hall, and the library with. Edward pulled me against him.

"You have to hit him Myra."

"I can't. He's our friend," I told Edward.

"I know he is but this is a test. This is all part of initiation. You need to."

"But I," I shook my head and looked down. Edward gave me a few other pieces of advice before we made our way towards the mat.

My fight with Will was difficult. Will was not as masculine as Edward and did not have the quickness as Edward did. He was quick enough however. The ground never felt so hard and the pain never felt as bad as until I was taken off my feet and slammed into the fighting mat. There was hesitation on Will's part to hit me here and there. Eric began to yell at him to finish the fight. I could see the apologetic look Will gave both Edward and I before he delivered his last blow. It was thoroughly discouraging. I felt like Eric had it out for me and maybe he did.

I struggled after that, being unable to combat whoever Eric had put me against. I had even gotten beaten by some Candor kid a couple days later. Both times I had landed myself in the infirmary and was not allowed any guests. Even Edward had been turned away from the nurses there. Later on I had found out that someone had ordered them to keep it that way.

"You should go back to Erudite." I closed my eyes and turned my head away from him. "Your mother will still take you back," Eric added his face emotionless as ever.

"What makes you think she'll allow me, someone who openly disrespected her in front of everyone at the choosing ceremony, to go back to Erudite," I asked.

"It is because she told me so."

"I knew it. I knew somehow this was all your doing."

"Enlighten me, Matthews," Eric ordered.

"You pitted me against people you knew would break me," I explained as my bottom lip began to tremble.

I bit on it hoping I would not shed a tear. I was done crying over Eric a long time ago. I wasn't about to do it now.

"You are purposely making it difficult for me to be here. I couldn't fight people like Will or that Candor kid. You knew it. You're making me fail just so that I can reconsider going back to Erudite, going back to my mother."

"Yes," was Eric's reply. "I did place you against them with a purpose but it wasn't for the reason you believe."

"Enlighten me then, Coulter."

"You learn nothing if I were to place you with someone who isn't able to fight. If I place you with someone as equally bad, you gain nothing. It would be as if I were to assign you addition problems when I know very well that you could solve algebraic calculations. The things that I do are meant to better you. Besides I thought," I heard him step closer. "You enjoy a challenge," he taunted.

"That was not a challenge," I sat up and yelled. Upon sitting up, I noticed just how close he had gotten to my bed. "You had me fight Will, someone who I had grown up with. You knew I wouldn't hit him."

"You should have hit him though. It was a fight."

"Edward said the same thing."

"Then you should have listened to your boyfriend, Myra! Now look at yourself!"

"I am looking at myself. I am in an infirmary bed, beaten and bloody because you took it upon yourself to, as you put it 'challenge me'. That's sick Eric! You knew I was going to fail. You set me up for failure."

"Haven't you been listening to anything I've been telling you? You're supposed to progress, yet here you are unwilling to budge or go any further."

"That's because you keep throwing obstacles in my way."

"I'm not exactly supposed to hand membership to Dauntless out on a silver platter," Eric retorted. "Here you go, initiate," he mocked and held up his hands. "It's all yours. That's bullshit! Everyone works hard. Everyone sweats and bleeds to get into Dauntless and just because I care about you, doesn't make you an exception." Something he said finally caught my attention but I was too upset to decipher it. "Get your head out of your ass Myra. You're dead last and I can't do anything to protect you now!"

Eric's words shocked me. I looked down the same time Eric did. Not only once but twice he had stated something in there that reminded me of the old Eric. It all came crashing down on me at once. There was a side of Eric that still cared about me too.

"You're protecting me," I asked him. My voice was so soft but I know he heard me because he replied.

"Of course," Eric's voice was just as low. "I'd always protect you."

"Eric, I still..."

"Stop it," Eric said loudly taking a step back. I saw his face harden once more. "I won't get sucked into this again. I won't," he shook his head.

"It doesn't have to be like this Eric," I pleaded. "You and I can still have our chance together."

"You're going to say that while you're still holding on to Edward?"

"My mother choose him for me! You pushed me away! What was I supposed to do?"

Eric scoffed and started to pace in front of my bed. "Of course you're innocent in all of this. Sweet little Myra," he shook his head.

"I fought for us Eric. I gave it all that I could to keep you from leaving, to keep you by my side. I tried Eric. You were the one who made the decision to leave. You were the one who gave me no other choice! Don't you dare tell me that I didn't try!"

"I did it all for you Myra!"

"You left Erudite for me? That makes no sense, Eric!"

"Do you realize she chose me not just because of my test scores," he said softer and less angry. "Jeanine chose me because I was in love with you Myra. The truth of the matter is that she said I could have you once I completed my task."

I shook my head and looked down as our yelling had died and silence overtook the room. It was like the entire infirmary had stilled in this moment.

"You already had me, Eric," I told him.

"No I didn't. In Erudite, I never truly could. Your mother would have ruined any chance of us being together. She would have made sure of it," Eric concluded.

Something told me that Eric was right that my mother's promise to let him have me, meant to be in an uninterrupted relationship. The truth of the matter was that she did not like Eric Coulter. His father had wronged her in some way. Our families had bad blood yet none of that stopped me from befriending him and eventually falling for him.

"We can still have it, Eric. I know we can. We can have our chance..."

"You shouldn't have come here Myra. You should have stayed in Erudite, gotten married to that guy that your mother wanted you to," he waved his hand. "I don't want to hope anything just because you're here."

"Why are you doing this? Why are you insistent on letting me go when I'm right here? I'm right here Eric! I care about you and it's obvious you care about me too," I said as he looked away. "Let's forget about this past year."

"No."

"Why not," I cried.

"Because I am a leader and I have a job to do."

"Always," I looked away and finally let the tear slip. "Always my mother before me, your responsibilities before your heart, your job before your wants," I listed. "Answer me this one question, Eric. Do you still love me?"

Eric reached over and touched my cheek. "Go back to Erudite, Myra. I hate having to make you get beaten up every time you get into the ring."

Obviously he was trying to send me a message, a message that said I didn't belong here in Dauntless. To do that he made Will and that Candor kid beat me. I leaned into his hand wishing that my Eric would come back, not this monster that stood in front of me. It was a wish that would never come true because like lightning Eric withdrew his hand and left the infirmary.

He cared about me but it wasn't enough. Eric had never truly answered the question, saying either 'yes' or 'no'. Instead he told me to leave. The situation stood as it was that despite our love for one another, Eric would continue to follow my mother's orders. No matter where I went I had not escaped her. She truly owned Eric more than I ever could.

When I was permitted to leave that night, the doctor gave me some last minute instructions on what to do if I feel my pain coming back. I nodded my head because I had already knew it, not merely from hearing it from my first fight but from learning about it in school and also back in Erudite.

"Oh yes, there is one more thing," the doctor said and handed me a small slip. "Eric said this was to be given to you. It is rather important."

I took the paper and hurried out of the infirmary to read it quickly. It was short and only contained two sentences. Quickly, I crumpled it up and threw it into the Chasm. My mother was coming for a progress report and to take me back to Erudite.

When Edward and I had been bought to Eric's office there she sat in Eric's desk chair, as though this was her office and only hers.

"Myra darling," she smiled and motioned for me to sit.

"I rather stand."

"You do not look well," she turned from me to Eric. "I thought you assured me that you would watch over her."

"I have been doing my best but your daughter is not succeeding here. It is best that she return with you," was Eric's response.

I did not understand now. I thought my mother wanted me back. Eric had told me such a thing in the infirmary that she would take me back. However, judging from that statement as well as the look on her face, something told me that Eric was lying. Either one of two things, he was hoping that it would be so hard on me that I would beg my mother to take me back or Jeanine would take pity on her only daughter because of the state I was in and demand my return.

"I rather stay," I spoke quickly before my mother could say anything. "I could be of some assistance to your plan, Mother."

"Jeanine, with all due respect," Eric cut in. "Myra is a true Erudite. There is very little that she can do here. There isn't a bone in her body or a fragment of her mind that screams Dauntless."

"She was brave enough to cut her hand and come here in the first place," Edward shot back.

"You encouraged her to do that didn't you," Eric glared at him.

"I encouraged her to be her own person."

"At what risk," Eric questioned. "Her life is in danger far more than ever for coming here. Initiation is not pleasant. If she had stayed in Erudite..."

"That will be enough," Jeanine stood as both men quieted down. "Edward reminded me of something. I do not like that you left in the fashion that you did. You made me look far worse than Abnegation's leader when his son quit that faction. You know how appearances are for me, Myra. And though my heart takes pity on your distressed state," she said as I contained myself not to roll my eyes at her stating she has a heart. "Consider your first month here of getting beaten here as punishment," she concluded.

"This is punishment for making my own choices?"

"Punishment for embarrassing me," she replied. "As further justice upon my name, you will stay here."

"What," Eric began but with one look my mother silenced him yet again.

"Myra will stay. You will do everything in your power to rank her enough to stay in Dauntless," she ordered Eric. "You will infiltrate Dauntless behind the scenes," she then instructed to me. "You will understand their inner workings, schedules, codes, any other computer program here," she listed.

"I have already done that," Eric started.

"Do not interrupt me, Mr. Coulter. You may be a leader here at Dauntless but let us not forget who put you there," my mother glared at him. "And to rebuff your statement, no you have not been doing that. If you had then the Divergent would not be slipping out from under your nose as they have for the past two years! Edward will help you secure the Dauntless leadership stays loyal to me and Myra will ensure that nothing escapes your notice. Are we clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," we all responded.

"Good," she smiled. "Now," she began walking towards the door. "Do some work for a change and stop crying about it to me. If I have to come back here to this filthy place I will remove all of you from my good graces."


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.  
**

* * *

"You are throwing your whole body into it."

I paused and turned to glare viciously at Eric. "It's odd that you would say that. Edward said the same. The two of you really do think alike. I can see why my mother chose you as her puppets," I turned back around but Eric caught me, gripping my arm and flew me with such force back to face him.

"What makes you think that you can talk to me like that, Myra?"

"It is the fact that you cannot do your job!"

Eric released me and looked across my face. He probably began recognizing the same scowl from Jeanine present on her daughter's face now.

"You are no leader of Dauntless. And from what I heard," I crossed her arms. "Did my mother state it correctly? She had to manipulate them into making you a leader?" I let out a soft laugh. "A true failure if I ever saw one," I spat those words and turned back around.

Eric must have had just about enough of my back talk because he took ahold of my arm again and almost dragged me out of the training room. Glancing around I noticed that Edward, Four, and whoever else had seen us did not say anything. No one dared to speak up against Eric, except me.

"You don't talk to me like that," Eric roared the second we were outside while he slammed me against a wall. "You don't get to treat me like your mother!"

"Why? It's obvious that you like being talked to like that. It's obvious that you like being treated like that," I told him.

Eric pulled back softening his hold on me. I bit my lip from trembling and looked down, realizing that I had just told Eric something unintentionally. Though no one else would pick up on it, Eric most certainly would. And the look he had before my eyes cast downward showed me that he did come to know it.

"You think that your soft touches and gentle kisses weren't enough for me," Eric asked in a soft voice.

"They weren't," I shook my head. "They never were," I looked back up at him.

I pushed away from the wall and walked out from under his arms. I was surprised that he let me and apparently so was Four when I had walked back into the training room. I let it go then but at night I allowed the tears to fall freely. Edward did not say anything. He just continued to hold me.

"You can't let him get to you," Edward said a couple days later.

I had gone into a small state of depression. The day after my encounter with Eric outside of the training room, I had gone to the kitchen in the hopes of eating an early breakfast so I could start training before everyone else. Eric was in there with a girl. She worked in the kitchen and when she served me I couldn't help but picture her the way I had saw her earlier. Eric did not know I had seen them but the girl did and only smiled.

"He's vicious in bed," the girl lit up. I could do nothing but roll my eyes.

Eric had begun belittling every initiate after our encounter. It was far worse than anything I had ever seen before. Four would attempt to stop him but nothing would come of it. Eric was the leader here and whatever he said was law.

The girl in the kitchen was not the only one that I had found Eric with. They seemed to allow him to do his thing to them in the worst of places also. Always down some dark hallway in the corner. Three girls in three days, it was disgusting.

Almost every morning that I saw Eric with a girl, the second he would come into the training room, I would throw myself into making out with Edward. Edward always received me without question. For some reason it was at first to distract me and make me feel better, but it seemed to put Eric back into a pissed off mood. A good majority of the time his anger was directed towards me and the other female initiates. Yes, he would screw around but for some reason that wasn't enough. Nothing was ever enough for Eric.

"I'm trying," I told Edward.

"No, you're not Myra."

The past couple days I had not been trying. The only thing that I would do in training was wait until Eric came and then make out with Edward. When Edward would begin training then I would feign interest in learning as well. I didn't have the heart to fight. That was because what Eric said was true. I was a true Erudite. I wasn't born into this. I did care to learn, but I did not want to learn how to fight.

"It's easy for you. You know how to do this. I can't be mean. I can't be violent!"

"Neither can I," Edward tried to assure me.

It was true though. There was another great contrast between Eric and Edward. I could not help but compare them these days. Edward had a switch. He had won every one of his fights against the other initiates. He had even taken to the gun shooting. Eric would give him a few tips here and there, though they both knew he didn't need it. Edward was excelling at being Dauntless. But whenever he was with me he seemed to be a lamb from Amity.

I had already received a few bruises from Eric grabbing me harshly. And in bed Edward could hardly be called 'vicious'. He was content with my gentle ways. Eric was a monster. The boy from Erudite that I had fallen in love with had somehow disappeared somewhere. All of that, whether through Dauntless or my mother, was gone.

My mind was fighting an internal battle and Edward knew it, being a former Erudite he could see it. I knew he would call me on it but I didn't expect it to lead into an argument.

"I'm not saying that you're violent, Edward."

"Then what is it Myra?"

Because he wasn't Eric, I answered. I shook my head at the thought. Why did I still want Eric? He was spending majority of his early morning hours with various Dauntless girls obviously not caring one bit about me, yet I was still hung up on him.

"I don't know Edward," I told him before taking off.

I didn't want to stay here, yet I didn't want to go back to Erudite. I didn't belong anywhere. I hurried out towards where the train would come to pick us up and almost debated about getting onto it. I could barely jump onto the train earlier. I sat down and watched it go by.

On the other side of the train tracks, Eric appeared. He was smoking. I didn't think he did but I suppose everyone at Dauntless has their vices. He was with a couple other Dauntless guys who looked to be about his age. One of them spotted me and smiled. I got scared for a bit because the way he smiled was as though he planned to do something to me.

Walking across the tracks, he finally caught Eric's attention and Eric turned to see what or who he was walking to. Eric's eyes locked with mine and remained emotionless.

"What's a cute little thing like you doing out here," asked the boy.

"I needed some air," I replied.

He chuckled and turned to Eric and their other companion. "She needed some air," he repeated to them though I know that they heard. "Were you engaging in an activity that took your breath away, little thing," he smiled as he faced me again.

"No," I stood up and began to walk towards the entrance of the Compound again.

"Wait," the Dauntless guy hurried after me and grabbed me. It was the same way that Eric did but this made me feel afraid. I never had anyone touch me other than Eric and Edward and now here was this guy gripping both my arms, holding me against him. "Where did you think you were going?"

"Back inside," I answered looking over at Eric.

"I thought you said you needed some air," he leaned in and I felt his breath against my cheek. I started to pull back and tried to wrench my arms away but nothing. It seemed to excite him. "Well, we got a fighter on our hands, boys."

"Let me go. I just want to go back inside now."

"Oh trust me, one of us will be going inside," he said as he started to pull at my shirt.

I tried my best to claw at him but nothing. He only laughed and Eric still had not moved from his spot. Was he going to let this happen? What was happening? I had not think that Dauntless, the faction of the brave, our City's security would allow an initiate to get raped but here I was with some guy trying to take off my shirt. When he finally did rip it off, tears were streaming down my face.

"Well you're not a screamer, which is disappointing," he chuckled.

I couldn't help but attempt yet again to kick him, punch him, and spit at him, anything to get his hands off of me as he tried to kiss me. I hated it. It felt gross and weird. It was nothing like how it would feel if Edward kissed me, or even if Eric had kissed me in the past. I was briefly thankful that he had not yet grabbed my breasts or tried to unbutton my pants.

My leg lifted to kick him yet again and he forced his knee to hold my leg in place. I turned my head away when he tried yet again to put his lips on mine. I struggled harder yet nothing came of it. I found that I couldn't scream. I couldn't find my voice. Only whimpers of protests left me as I tried to get out of his hold and away from this wall and back into the Compound.

"That's enough, Brock," Eric said.

The guy, who I now knew as Brock, would be the first one I would order killed, I thought. Brock chuckled and placed a kiss on my cheek before pulling away and walking in. I looked out into the distance as he threw my shirt at my face, hitting me harshly against the cheek he had just kissed.

"She's pretty," the third guy told Brock.

"Too bad she doesn't put out," Brock chuckled as they both disappeared.

Eric stayed on the other side leaning up against the wall as I continued to look anywhere but at him. This was humiliating and embarrassing by far. This was also very painful. Not so much from what the guy did, although my wrists and arms were sore from him holding onto them in a deadly tight grip. The pain came from the fact that Eric just stood there and did nothing. He let the guy rip the shirt from off me, hold me against a wall and try to kiss me for who knows how long.

"Imagine what he could have done if I were not here," Eric finally said.

My head whipped to him. "You weren't here!"

Eric titled his head. "I was standing right here."

"Yet you did nothing to stop it! You let your friend pin me against the wall, strip me of my clothes. That's sexual harassment Eric!"

"What should be considered sexual harassment is having to see you and Edward go at it so early in the morning in the training room," Eric shot back. "If you weren't so busy putting your tongue down his throat then you would have noticed what we were training you all to do. You need to take training serious now."

"Are you being serious? Someone attempted to rape me and you just watched it happen!"

"If you had known how to fight, you would have defended yourself. Now who is at fault?"

"You still are," I replied. "You did nothing but watch."

"I knew he wasn't going to harm you," Eric responded.

"How did you know?"

"I told him just to scare you," Eric said. "He wasn't going to touch you."

I stood there shocked, letting the shirt fall.

"You had your friend do that to me to teach me a lesson?"

Eric kicked himself off the wall and walked across the tracks towards me. "Training to become Dauntless is a serious matter. You take it too lightly, Myra. Like I said, imagine what would have happened had he been a real attacker trying to rape you. You would probably be dead."

"You're sick," I said to him as he shrugged his jacket off.

I took a step back not knowing what he was doing. I was shocked to see him place it around my shoulders. "I still care about you," he said softly. "Do you think I wanted to see you go through that? You don't even try to learn anything here. I see it every morning at training. You're either preoccupied with Edward or lazily punching away at the bag. You need to train harder Myra."

"What difference does it make if I'm going to pass anyway? My mother ordered you to do anything to get me in," I snapped. "So get me in."

"What do you think I was just doing now?" I shook my head. "This was to show you Myra that you need to be serious about initiation. I can't simply give you a score when all they see is you making out and not giving a damn."

"So you did this as some twisted way to get me to be a better initiate?"

"One, you need to learn to defend yourself. It's the only way to prevent things like that from happening. And second is so that I, Four, and the other leaders have something to score." I jerked my head back when his hand cupped my cheek but Eric continued. "I am sorry that I had to do it this way but you needed to learn a lesson, Myra."

Eric bought me inside and to the infirmary to clean up any scratches that I had come into contact with. I wanted to snap back at him. It was a cruel way to get his point across. Yes I should have been taking training seriously. Yet seeing him with those other girls had made me realize that I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to see my first love become this man who was heartless and cold.

He left quickly after depositing me back at the dormitory. His only partings words were to remember what he said. It made sense, he needed something to score but I still couldn't get into training like how he wanted me to. I knew I was still falling behind and grew fearful when I noticed Brock appear at the dining room and sit across from me like nothing had ever transpired. One glance at Eric told me that this was all his doing once again.

I wasn't the only one who had become victim to Eric's teaching methods. A Candor girl gave up in her fight, claiming that she couldn't go on. Her nose was bloody and her face bruised as Eric led her towards the Chasm. When he had her hang over the ledge with her fingers slipping off with every crash of water, I had flashbacks of what happened to me. No one helped me but I wanted to make sure that someone would go to help her.

"Edward," I whispered to him as he made his way across the metal bridge and helped pulled her back up along with the Abnegation girl.

"Dauntless don't give up," Eric announced.

"How could you," Edward told him, placing a hand on the back of the Candor girl. "She could have died!"

Eric only walked away.

Another Candor was being picked on by Eric for failing to stick his knife into the target and openly proclaiming that he was afraid. Eric made him stand in front and when the girl from Abnegation spoke out in his defense, she ended up taking his place. Eric commanded our other trainer throw knives at her and in the end, there was blood.

"Points for bravery," Eric chuckled. "But not as much as you just lost for that comment you just made. We train soldiers here at Dauntless, not rebels."

How odd that Eric would say that when he actually worked for my mother and was in a sense looking to rebel against the Council. As the weeks went by, the lessons did somewhat seep into my mind. I hated being touched like that and for a while all I could think about was Brock's face. It motivated me to punch the hell out of the bag and then remembering all those girls with Eric made me learn how to fire a gun, picturing them as my desired target.

When the rankings were released, I had gained enough momentum to earn myself the last spot for Stage One. I turned around and jumped into Edward's waiting arms. He had placed first. My eyes caught Eric's as he looked at us with a scared look on his face before leaving the dormitory.


	6. Chapter 6

**I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.**

* * *

I stood there in front of Edward's bed staring at his body. I couldn't believe what had just happened. My mind was whirling in a sea of emotions. I was scared beyond belief at this moment and couldn't concentrate on anything else that was going on. People were asking me questions but I continued to stare at Edward's motionless body. Someone had planned this, coordinated it. The timing and the injury had been perfect.

My eyes were watery and though I forced myself to shed a tear it would not flow freely. Anger was holding back my grief. Edward was smart, Edward was strong, and Edward had past every test that my mother gave to him. He excelled in all of it. His test scores were the best! He was the best! He had studied and prepared his mind to do this. He had a goal.

That goal was to discover information on my mom and inform the Council. He was going to stop my mother. I was going to help. I was in there and now, I shook my head at the thought. Now I knew what Edward was going to do. Someone had set him up here. Perhaps someone had found out what he was doing and instead of going after my mother and Eric or the rest of the Dauntless leaders, they targeted Edward. That had to be the reason why he was now laying down in the infirmary bed.

"Myra."

"Get. Away. From. Me."

I could barely recognize the person behind the voice but it wasn't me. I knew it wasn't me and something told me that Eric knew it wasn't me either. I was in no mood to put up with Eric's new found violent and manipulative agenda.

"I was told that he wants to leave," Eric began. "That's not the best thing though right now, Myra. He needs to stay here. I can protect him here in Dauntless. Out there he's not safe. Something..."

I turned to face him. "You set Edward up didn't you?"

"Why would you think that?"

"I saw that look on your face when Edward got first rank. You were afraid that he would finally show you up. He was going to get everything that you couldn't so you had to take him out just like that didn't you?"

"Myra you're talking nonsense."

"No I'm not. For once this actually would be the logical thing to happen," I started to pace but continued my gaze on Eric. "This is something that you would do. This has you written all over it. Let me see, to get Myra to better herself in training why don't I set up a fake sexually assault to rough her up," I bitterly shot at him. "Why don't I hang a Candor girl over a railing where she could have died? Why don't I have one of the Dauntless instructors throw knives at an Abnegation girl's head? Why don't I take out the one person who is trying to take my place and have him stabbed in the eye," I shouted.

"Edward and I are working for the same cause."

"My mother was taking responsibilities away from you. And I know what that looks like to you, less responsibility the less power you have," I smiled and crossed my arms. "Can you get any more conniving and apathetic, Eric Coulter? Nothing ever is enough for you isn't it? You had to take out the one person who was going to best you at your job," I pointed to Edward. "You had to take out the first person to actually love me," I screamed.

"I loved you Myra," he shouted back. "Your mother wouldn't have allowed us to be together if we were in Erudite. I told you this."

"Yes but you did not even fight for me. You didn't even tell me that she threatened you. You just told me that you were going and then pushed me away, letting me fall into Edward's arms," I shot back. "You couldn't stand that he fought for me, that he did what you were supposed to do. It killed you."

"You're right! Is that what you want to hear," he grabbed me with all his strength and I whimpered at the pain that shot through me. "I hate it when he touches you, kisses you. I hate it that that should be!"

"So you had to end his initiation in Dauntless didn't you?"

"No," Eric shook his head. "This was not me," he released me and I rubbed my arms. "This was not me," he shook his head again looking down.

"But this is you," I point to the bruises forming on my arms. "This," I pointed to my scraped knuckles. "This," I moved on to my eye that was still swollen from my last fight. "This," I motioned to my wrists where his friend restrained me. "This," I rubbed my cheek where Will had socked me. "Or even this," I moved to place my palm flat on my chest right above my heart. "This right here, Eric. This was all you," I said as my eyes started to water. "Edward is leaving and I'm going with him."

"Don't do this Myra," Eric grabbed onto my arms and pulled me to him.

"You don't get to tell me what to do."

"If Edward wants to leave then let him leave. Myra you won't last out there. It's not safe for you. Please, just stay here. You got last ranking and I know you're smart enough to complete stage two. Just let me protect you..."

I ripped myself away from Eric and shook my head. "You had your chance Eric. You had your chance and you threw it away."

"Myra, I get that you're mad at me about that and that's fine. But I can't let you leave. I love you," he lifted a hand up to my face but I took a step back. "Please Myra you have to believe me. There's nothing for you out there. The factionless are cruel."

"So are the Dauntless," I responded.

"Myra."

"Eric."

Eric shook his head and started to pace. He ran his fingers through his hair and scratched the back of it, still looking frustrated. After a few moments he did the unexpected. Eric pulled me to him and pressed his lips against mine. I was so angry and irritated that I fought back at first. I tried hard as I could to beat his chest and scratch at him. Then without warning, his kisses got softer and gentler.

"Myra," he whispered as he pulled at my bottom lip tenderly.

"Eric," I sighed.

After a few more kisses and nuzzling of his nose into my neck, he finally rested his forehead against mine. This was the Eric that I remembered. This was the Eric that I had fallen in love with. Then just like that I remembered why I had fallen out of love with him.

"Please stay with me," he said softly.

I pulled back quickly and shook my head. "No."

"No?"

"No!"

"Myra, please..."

"I'm not going to give you the satisfaction," I spat and turned my back. "I'm leaving Eric."

"You're just doing this to get back at me," Eric accused.

I turned my head and smiled. "Well now you know how it feels."

Eric shook his head. "You're not going to last out there Myra. The daughter of Jeanine Matthews is not going to be taken too kindly to among the factionless. I'm going to give you one last opportunity to stay. I can protect you here. If you want Edward to stay, he can too. I'll protect him too."

"If you could, he wouldn't be in this position right now," I pointed to the bed. "Just leave Eric."

"Myra..."

"Stop already. I've made up my mind."

Eric nodded and then turned to walk away. "Just to let you know Myra," he said as he stood in front of the door. "I meant it when I said that I love you. I know I made a mistake in leaving you but if you gave me another chance I'd never let you go again. I'll be waiting in my office until tomorrow morning. Come and see me if you change your mind."

His hand pounded once on the door, flying it open as he stormed out.

The next morning came quickly. I didn't go to Eric's office. I had made up my mind. I wasn't going to stay behind with someone who did the things that he did. Yes, my Eric was there but he was hidden deep down inside this other version of Eric. There was way too much layers for me to peel back until I found the Eric that I liked that I decided it just wasn't right if I went to him and asked him to keep Edward too.

Edward was a little upset about me coming along.

"You should take Eric up on his offer, Myra," Edward said right before we left the door.

"Edward, why would I abandon you?"

"Because I failed," he said softly.

I shook my head. "No, not you too, Edward. Don't think that way! Don't you dare think that way!" I moved until I stood in front of him. "You didn't fail. You can still do your job. I'm sure my mother..."

"Edward!"

We both turned to see Four marching our way.

"Myra," he nodded to me. "I heard that you're going with Edward as well."

"Yes I am," I stood straighter.

"Can you keep her here?"

"Edward," I turned to him shocked that he would even suggest such a thing.

"If she wants to leave, I can't stop her," Four stated. "You know what this means though don't you Myra? You can't rejoin Dauntless or any other faction for that matter."

"I understand."

"Jesus," Edward shook his head and started to pace. "Myra, I think you should stay here. You heard your mother," he said softly as if to remind me.

"Anyways," Four cleared his throat. "I have something to talk to you about Edward."

Four pulled Edward on the side and they were talking quietly. I looked away uncertain because Edward seemed to be nodding. I was hoping that Four was encouraging him that everything would be okay. I still couldn't believe that Edward wanted me to stay back.

"Consider it," Four said loudly before turning away. "Are you certain," he nodded to me.

"Yes," I replied. "I'm going with Edward," I smiled encouragingly at Edward but he still looked disappointed.

Four had given a bag of things to both Edward and I, off the record supposedly. No one usually got supplies with them when they became factionless. I didn't really care about that. For some reason I felt more freedom now than I did in my entire life. And I knew that in time Edward and I would grow used to this life. After all we did have each other and that's what mattered.

We found a small little room in one of the buildings. A couple other couples a year or two older than us were in there as well. One of the girls even gave us some extra sheets explaining that they got them from Abnegation. Edward just stood there glaring at the room that we were in.

"I'm guessing you two didn't make Dauntless initiation," the girl said softly. It wasn't mean to harm anything but Edward turned around and snapped at her.

"What do you think? You think I freely wanted my eye removed? You think I wanted my girlfriend out here with me? You're such a stupid factionless," Edward yelled.

The girl's boyfriend appeared. "Is everything okay?"

"No," Edward screamed. I pushed him gently further into the room and walked the couple out.

"I'm sorry, he's just," I shook my head. "He's usually not like that."

"It is fine," the girl touched my arm. "You two will get used to the life here."

I nodded, thanked her again and then walked into the room.

"What's wrong with you," I asked quietly. "Why did you yell at that innocent girl? She was just trying to help us."

"We shouldn't be taking handouts like that. We should have been in Dauntless. I would have gotten first ranking, I would have stopped your mother, and I would have been able to protect you! I couldn't even protect myself," he continued to rant.

"Edward, where is this all coming from," I started to cry. I didn't realize it but the tears were starting to form.

"Why did you come here, Myra? Why did you follow me?"

"It's because I love you," I told him. "Edward, remember I told you that none of the things that my mother did ever mattered to me. It didn't matter to you either, remember? We're finally free from her, from the expectations that she held on us. We can still warn the Council."

"They won't listen to a couple of factionless like us," he looked at me finally. Seeing the tears must have softened him because he held out his hands for me to walk to him. "I'm sorry I yelled. It's just..."

"I know that this is different," I interjected once I got to stand in front of him. "But we'll make the best of this. We will," I took one of his hands. "We have each other, Edward. You told me once that that was all you needed. I believe in that now, Edward. We just need to stay in this together and we'll make it. I know we will."

Edward smiled and nodded. "Forgive me," he kissed my forehead and wrapped me in his arms.

I had no idea where that had come from or what he was thinking. His responses to me were a little vague and so unlike him. I closed my eyes and snuggled further into his arms, hoping that things would get better for us. This wasn't the end.


	7. Chapter 7

**I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.**

* * *

I had made friends with the girl who was down the hall from us when Edward and I first arrived in the factionless sector. Edward still refused to talk to anyone here. He didn't appreciate that others were helping us, including the Abnegation who would come out every now and then. The couple who had taken refuge the floor below us said that that was normal during the first week or so, especially for those who came from Dauntless or Erudite.

"Jon was the same," Madison told me. She was the girl who lived down the hall from us and gave us the sheets.

"Jon came from Erudite?"

"Dauntless," Madison smiled. "We both are," she said.

"How long have you two been out here," I asked.

"A year," Madison looked down before taking a deep breath. "One of the instructors wanted him to beat me."

I let out a shaky laugh, thinking back to what happened to me during my initiation. "I was pitted against someone Edward and I grew up with. He refused to hit me at first but our instructor kept encouraging him on."

"Eric," she stated and I nodded. Madison shook her head. "I was already down. Eric told Jon to finish me off but Jon wouldn't do it." I reached out and put my hand on hers. "I blamed myself when Eric detracted points from Jon's score. Ever since he went up against Eric," she shook her head again. "Eric made it hard for him."

"He's a bully," I sighed.

"That's a nice way of putting it." We both turned to see Jon walking in through the door.

He smiled and leaned down to kiss Madison softly. She smiled up at him when he pulled away. It was then that my heart cracked. Ever since we got out here, Edward only kissed me once and that was on the forehead.

"Are you staying for dinner," asked Jon. "Look what I got from a woman from Amity," he held it up to Madison and she started to smile excitedly.

"Fruits," she stood up to go to him.

"It's fresh from their harvest, too," he replied to her as they shared a look. Edward had stopped looking at me like that too.

"What do you say, Myra," Madison turned to me.

I shook my head. "It's okay. I think we still have our can of corn left."

"Canned corn is nothing compared to fresh fruit," Jon said. "Come on, I don't mind sharing with you and Edward. Call him over," he insisted.

"Thanks but I don't think that he would want to," I said softly.

Madison smiled knowingly and came to hug me. "Take a bit of it to go then." I nodded and waited for her to finish cutting up a few slices for me.

Just as expected, Edward didn't like the idea that Madison and Jon had given us some fresh fruit. We had begun to argue. Every night he would apologize for yelling at me. The only thing that would calm him down was when I told him to allow me time to tend to his eye. After a couple days he began refusing my help to clean his wound. After a couple weeks he stopped talking to me.

"Edward, what is the matter?"

"We shouldn't be living like this, Myra. This is proof that I have failed you. I can't even take care of you. Look at where we are," he snapped throwing his bandage off of his eye. I went to grab it and put it back on. "You won't even look at me anymore!"

"Me," I questioned. "Every time I get near you, you shut me out. You don't even hold me at night! Edward, please..."

"I'm a monster, Myra."

"No," I shook my head. "You're not. You're still the sweet Edward that I know from Erudite. Please I need you now, Edward. We can't get through this unless we work together."

"We wouldn't even be in this if it weren't for me," he said before getting up and leaving.

I had not seen him for days. Jon encouraged me to stay with him and Madison while Edward was gone stating that it wasn't safe for a young girl like me to be on my own. It became apparent one night what they meant when I had been walking back from the Abnegation volunteer center to get me another jacket. A man had started conversing with me. When it became clear that he wanted to lure me into his room, I had begun fighting back. I let out a sigh of relief when Jon had found me running away from the man.

"Where is Edward, Myra," he asked as he pulled me into their room.

"I don't know."

"It's been a week," Madison said coming to clean the dirt away from my face. "Perhaps you should go look for him."

Jon shook his head. "There's a chance he might not be coming back."

"Don't say that," Madison scolded him but I knew that the possibility of that happening was high.

I stayed with Madison and Jon for a few more days. Madison made me promise not to venture out at night and if I needed to get something by the Hub to not go alone. Edward had been gone for a total of sixteen days until he showed up again back in our room. His hands were shaking and I had no idea where he had been. He turned to me and I barely recognized him anymore. His facial hair was starting to come in. Edward looked dirtier than ever and I noticed that his clothing was stained with blood.

I walked towards him, placing myself in the middle of his legs and tried to hug him close but he just shook his head and nudged me back.

"What happened," I asked softly.

"They were here," he mumbled. "One of the Candor boys who stabbed me was here," Edward snarled as I noticed his hands balled into fists. His knuckles were bloody as well.

"What did he say to you?"

"There was nothing to say," Edward stood up causing me to step back quickly. "He tried to apologize," Edward chuckled. "Like that was going to make everything better," he shook his head. "He had to pay for what he did to me, for what he did to you," Edward growled.

"Edward?"

"I killed him."

"No," I gasped and covered my mouth in shock. My sweet Edward had taken someone's life.

"I killed him and his girlfriend too!"

"Edward," I shouted. Edward turned and wheeled on me. "Tell me it's not true! Tell me it's not," I shook my head.

"They had to pay! Look at what they did to us! Look at where we are! We are factionless because of those idiots. You think I could just let them walk?"

"You didn't need to hurt them!"

"An eye for an eye," Edward threw off his bandage and showed me his eye socket. "I was the best Myra. I was the first in our class. I was this close," he pinched his fingers. "I was this close to infiltrating your mother's plans and unearthing her grand scheme. Now we're here, barely hanging on, eating handouts from the Stiffs!"

"Stop it Edward."

"This is a bull shit life and you know it. I hate the food here! I hate the bed! I hate that we have to tough it out here. I hate that you can't even get a decent hot shower around here. Your clothes Myra! Look at your clothes," he yelled. "I hate it here! I hate everything here!" I went to touch his arm but he turned and gripped both of my arms. His hold tightened and I winced at the pain. Edward had never held me like this before. It was so painful that I started crying but he continued. "You should have stayed in Dauntless Myra."

"No, I didn't belong there. I'm here with you, Edward."

Edward shook me. "Are you stupid? Look around us Myra! Look," he shouted while he shook me again. I began to cry more shaking my head unwilling to do anything. After a while he finally let go causing me to fall to the floor.

"I was fine Edward," I said softly. "I was truly okay that it was just you and me."

"But that's not enough Myra."

"That was more than enough."

"Shut up," he yelled at me. "Just shut up," he got into my face and the second I saw his hand pull back I turned my face, crawling into a ball. His hand didn't come down on me and for a brief moment I was waiting for it to come. "I'm sorry," he whispered. I looked up and saw him step back, looking at his hand. "Myra I'm so sorry. I just," he shook his head. "I just want a better life for us."

"Get out," I yelled at him.

"Myra?"

"Get out," I screamed as I stood up. "We've been here for so long and all you do is ignore me, push me away, and then you come back from murdering two people and your excuse is because you want a better life for us! I was fine with this, Edward. I was willing to take care of you and be with you. I trusted in you and you," I shook my head and wiped my face as the tears kept falling. "Just leave! Get out!"

Edward had turned into a monster. He didn't apologize again. He didn't even attempt to hug me or anything like that. Edward walked straight out the door, slamming it as he left. I fell back down to the floor and cried.

Days had gone where Madison would come and stay with me for a while as I cried in her arms. I had never felt totally alone as I did right now. Edward was gone and there was no way in the world that I could go anywhere. I had come here for him. I had made this decision because I believed that sweet, caring, doting Edward was enough. The only problem was that when we got here that Edward however was no longer existent.

I tried my best to pick myself back up. Jon and Madison rearranged their room so that I could stay with them. I knew full well that it wasn't going to be okay on my own. A week after Edward had gone there was a commotion over at Abnegation. Those were hard times. Jon said that the word on the street was that Dauntless had attacked Abnegation, shot them and everything.

"They just attacked," Madison questioned as Jon nodded.

"Who led it," I asked.

"Apparently the leaders had orchestrated it," Jon answered.

That was it. That was the plan that my mother was talking about. She wanted to remove the Council and she had been trying to get Dauntless to side with them. Eric must have been able to persuade the other leaders. Madison commented on how she couldn't believe it but I knew that it was true. That was something that my mother had been talking about since I was a child.

"I should have known she would attack Abnegation," I said.

"She who," asked Madison.

"My," I paused remembering something that Eric had said. The factionless would not take kindly to me knowing that I was Jeanine's daughter. "My old faction leader," I finished quickly. "Jeanine Matthews," I stated. "She had a strong dislike for Abnegation and its council members."

"So much dislike that she would have Dauntless kill innocent Stiffs," Jon asked.

"Sadly, yes," I answered.

Jon said that with the fall of the Council, things had gone from bad to worse. The food that was coming from Abnegation and Amity rarely came now. Some people had started raiding each other just to get by. Another couple had taken up refuge with us. When it became obvious that we were barely able to stand on our own, the girl from the other couple suggested that we got and see Evelyn.

"Who's Evelyn?"

"She's our leader," the girl answered.

The factionless did have a leader and though it was encouraged that we come to her if we needed anything, both Madison and I had been reluctant to go. Madison just didn't feel right about this Evelyn person and I had noticed that Edward was there among the people standing by her. That had been the first time since our argument that I had seen him and the pain was all too fresh to bear. Jon continued to take things that Evelyn and her team was handing out to us. According to her we were better than the factions. Jon tried his best to convince Madison that things were better with Evelyn but she wouldn't leave. About a couple weeks later, I got an unexpected visitor.

"Four?"

"Myra," he smiled.

"What are you doing here?"

"I, uh," he looked away and then turned back to me. "I came to see someone and they had Edward with them." I nodded and looked away too. "He said I could find you here. I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine," I replied.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes," I snapped looking up to see his eyes staring at me. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I just," he shook his head. "Did you hear about what happened at Abnegation?" I nodded. "Dauntless made an alliance with Erudite. The true Dauntless though are," he looked away. "I can't find anyone."

"Who is with you now? You must have someone with you now?"

Four smiled and looked down. "Tris," he said quietly.

"The former Abnegation girl," I asked as he nodded. "That's good," I looked away. Even Four had someone with him. "Is it only the leaders of Dauntless then?"

"And a few who are loyal to Max," he answered. "The rest who don't like Jeanine Matthews and what she is doing are somewhere else."

"They need to be careful. My mother is not one to be messed with."

Four chuckled. "Neither is mine." We both grew silent after a while until I stared at him the same look crossing his face too.

"Who is your mother," we both asked at the same time.

"My mom is Evelyn, the factionless leader," Four stated.

"I'm Jeanine Matthew's daughter," I looked down. Four quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me to a part of the hallway where it was far from Madison's room.

"Does anyone know?"

"About her plans?"

"About you being her daughter," Four asked.

"Edward does," I said.

"No wonder," Four looked away. "He's been feeding my mom information. Apparently he knew about Erudite making an alliance with Dauntless. He knows what Jeanine wants, what she's looking for. There's something in Abnegation that she wants. That's the reason why," he shook his head.

"That's the reason why she took over Dauntless and tried to kill an entire faction," I supplied. "Yeah I know. That sounds like my mother."

"Don't tell anyone who you are," Four cautioned. "It's not safe for you here. You should come to one of my mother's safe houses, Myra. We can protect you there."

"No," I shook my head. "Edward is there. He's not the same. He's changed. The attack, it did something to him."

"Did he hurt you," Four touched me gently. I shook my head. "Okay," he replied. "Well think about coming to the factionless safe house, Myra. I won't tell anyone who you are but it will be safer for you there. These are troublesome times right now."

Troublesome didn't even begin to cover it. I still refused to go to Evelyn and get her assistance as Four had suggested. It became harder when our house was raided by Dauntless soldiers a few days later.


	8. Chapter 8

**I do not own Divergent or Pride and Prejudice.**

* * *

As the Dauntless began raiding houses and taking every out of them I almost regretted not taking Four up on his offer. They had us line up. If anyone didn't listen that meant that one of the guards would hit us quite violently.

"What do you want from us," asked one of the older factionless men.

"Does anyone know where the factionless leader is," a Dauntless guard questioned.

They were looking for Evelyn. Jon looked over at Madison but stayed quiet. Jon had been there a couple times but it was mostly to get supplies for us. And from what he had told Madison and me, he never was allowed to go further in.

"No one," he stated when none of us spoke up.

I don't know who gave the order but a couple guards moved forward and began pushing around a couple older factionless people. One of them was elderly and I couldn't understand the mistreatment of such ones. It wasn't until I recognized a familiar voice who told the Dauntless soldiers to stop that I shot my head up. There was Eric standing there in a black and blue suit. Apparently all of them were dressed that way. My mother had gotten what she wanted.

"They're saying that they don't know anything, Eric," the guard said.

"Of course they wouldn't," Eric moved until he got into one guy's face. "They're worthless factionless," he smirked and began walking down the line.

I looked down, letting the hair fall in front of my face in the hopes that he would not recognize me. My attempts were futile. A strong hand reached out to grip my arm.

"Let her go," Jon protested as did Madison next to me.

Eric didn't listen though. He dragged me along and took me into the vehicle that he had arrived in. I looked back at Madison and nodded to her, letting her know that I would be okay. I knew exactly where Eric was taking me. There was no need to ask him. He was taking me to see my mother. As the door shut, I tried to look back at Madison and Jon as they were ushered away with the rest of the factionless.

"Where are you taking them?"

"Where do you think," he answered. Of course they were being taken to my mother. "Unless they test negative, then they'll be released."

"Test negative for what," I asked as I turned around to see a small device in Eric's hand.

"Erudite," the machine sounded as Eric titled his head at me.

"That tells what faction you belong to," I questioned.

"In some respects yes."

It finally dawned on me. I grabbed the device from Eric's hands as he nodded to the driver in this huge tank to start driving off. My mother had finally invented it. I had read about it in her documents. She had done countless research and projects and it all came down to this one device that could test people's divergence with one click of a button. It was to assist her in her plans in gathering innocent people. I held it up and turned in on when Eric wasn't looking.

"Erudite," the machine stated again.

At that Eric whipped his head around and wrenched it from my hands. "Don't do that again," he growled.

It was a quiet ride to wherever it was we were going and to my surprise we ended up heading towards Abnegation. "We're not going to Erudite," I asked. Eric stayed quiet. "I thought you were taking me back to my mother," I questioned but Eric continued to ignore me. "Are you looking for the factionless leader here?"

I don't know why I continued to ask questions, Eric never responded.

"Stay inside," Eric ordered as he and the driver exited from the vehicle.

I sat there in silence, debating whether or not I should exit and run. Where would I run to? I had thought that Eric was taking me to see my mother. Maybe he was making a pit stop here for something or someone. Divergence, my mind concluded. When I looked down on the ground, the device was gone. Eric came here looking for them. If my mother was still looking for them, then why was she also looking for the factionless leader?

It felt like hours before I finally decided that I couldn't stay in here. I sat down outside of the vehicle waiting for them to return. When they did return Eric looked ever more frustrated.

"We couldn't find it Jeanine," he muttered into a communicator.

"Call it a day and head back. Max found one," I heard my mother's voice reply.

"What's going on?"

"I told you to stay inside," he barked.

"Why won't you tell me what is going on," I continued to press.

"Just stay inside, please Myra," he whispered. His voice was gentle and pleading. I nodded and climbed back up and into the vehicle. After a few minutes, Eric and the driver appeared and we made our way towards Erudite.

Eric gripped my arm when we got there and took me towards one of the apartments that were on the outskirts of Erudite.

"Your mother marked you a traitor," Eric answered my unasked question, glancing at me before facing forward as we went up in the elevator. "I don't know what she'll do when she sees you."

I didn't know what she would do either. I didn't want to think that she would physically harm me but I wouldn't put it past her. I didn't actually want to see her and Eric in some odd way understood that. It was typical Jeanine Matthews to mark her own daughter as a traitor. The door opened and Eric walked us down a hallway and stopped at a door where he swiped a card. There wasn't a prison cell or some laboratory here where I would be put to work. It was a simple room. In other words, Eric was bringing me here to keep me safe and away from my mother.

"Why did you take me away from the factionless?"

"Were you really happy there," Eric asked as he began taking off his vest and jacket.

I turned away at seeing the top part of him unclothed. I had seen him without a shirt before in Erudite but I hadn't since he had left to Dauntless and the sight before me was better than Edward or any other male I had seen. My eyes shot back to him when he cleared his throat. Obviously he was expecting an answer.

"I got by," I shrugged.

"There's a shower there, hot water," he explained as he nodded towards a door. Hot water did sound nice. "I'll lay out some clothes for you."

And like that he had gone into another door, which I expected to be the bedroom. I headed towards the shower as instructed. Once the door was closed I peeled away the dirty clothes and folded them neatly, an old Erudite trait to have everything in order I suppose. It did feel wonderful to be in a spacious shower and have the hot water flowing down my body. I sighed and closed my eyes as steam began to rise and puddles of brown water stained the floor. Even though I was content to be where Edward and I had been, this right here was bliss.

I had no gripes about using Eric's soap or his shampoo either. The bathroom I'm sure began to smell like him. I smiled when I realized that it was the same scent he used in Erudite. I guess some habits were hard to break. When I came out of the shower, I noticed that my clothes were gone and replaced with one of Eric's shirts and his boxers along with a note promising to have my clothes cleaned. I was a bit shocked that he had walked in while I was showering but then again, I remembered that I didn't lock the door when I closed it.

Eric didn't come until later on that night. It gave me time to think about what was going on. Why did I go with him so easily? What was his purpose in keeping me here? I shook my head and continued to look out over the City. Things were damaged and broken, just like my relationship with Edward, Eric, and my mother.

"Here are your clothes," Eric set them down on the coffee table before handing me a small white box. In there was none other than a hot meal. I took in its mouthwatering scent before I started to devour it. "Easy," Eric cautioned before handing him a glass of water. Even the water tested better.

I finally slowed my eating process at seeing Eric's calm state. We ate in silence and I didn't really mind it. It wasn't until I yawned as Eric was looking over something on his tablet that I realized where I was going to sleep. Without saying anything on the subject Eric led me to the room and simply walked back out, closing the door. I assumed he was letting me sleep in his bed. I also assumed that this was his apartment. This apartment was probably penance for doing my mother's dirty work. Without thinking about my mother, Edward, or even Eric, I climbed into his bed and instantly fall off to sleep at the comfort of the firm mattress, soft pillows, and warm blankets.

The next day I change into my clothes. Eric barely says anything as he has breakfast bought to us from Erudite's dining hall except that he'll see that I get a few more clothes laid out. During the day he leaves to do my mother's bidding returning at night with the clothes and food.

In the days that followed, it becomes a routine. His absence during the day is still comforting and our silent eating at night reassuring. After a while we began to converse during the evening. Sometimes Eric asked if it was okay for me to read out loud and I obliged. There was a sort of calmness with him that I hadn't received in a while that I enjoyed. It was different from the Eric that was at Dauntless.

Our conversations remained neutral. Eric didn't press me about my mother's concerns and I didn't question him either. I knew that he was doing her bidding during the day. A few nights I had made dinner and Eric thanked me. Surprisingly the next night when he came back, he had gotten me a small bouquet of daisies along with some new books to read.

"Daisies," I smiled. "And Wuthering Heights," I picked up the first book. "My favorite."

"I know," he replied softly.

I turned to him and gave him a small smile. "Thank you Eric." Eric nodded before turning to sleep on the couch.

Days had turned into weeks. I had been here for a total of three weeks now. I was getting comfortable with Eric's presence at night and our conversations. We had begun smiling more. It was nice to think that we had this time together, away from what was really going on. Although, it was silly of me to think that this would last forever.

"Myra," he began. "Where is Edward? I was surprised that he wasn't with you."

"He changed," I said softly.

"What do you mean?"

"He was always this gentle person," I shook my head. "The attack altered him. It made him bitter and full of hatred. He left me..."

"He left you," Eric shouted.

"Well, I told him to leave me. He just wasn't the same anymore."

"I'm so sorry Myra. I never should have let you go to the factionless. I should have ordered you to stay or something," Eric stood up and started to pace.

"It wasn't your decision to make."

"You know sometimes I question whether you're Erudite or not because you make some very illogical choices," he replied.

"That's true," I agreed standing up. "I made an absurd decision in falling in love with someone who only follows my mother's rules," I jabbed my finger in his chest.

"Myra," he warned.

"I made an irrational and impulsive mistake in finding solace in Edward. He is a monster just like you! The worse decision I have to say is letting you bring me here! I should have known better than to trust you again. You're right that was illogical of me," I yelled.

"I bought you here to keep you safe!"

"I didn't need your help!"

"Really," he looked at me like I was crazy. "Myra I saw you out there. You looked so helpless. I couldn't just..."

"I was getting by just fine. I didn't need Edward and I certainly don't need you," I responded.

"I should have known that you would be unappreciative of the things I do. You're so ungrateful," Eric got in my face. "You're just like your mother." Those words hurt the most. "I don't know why I didn't leave you there with the factionless!"

"Then why did you bring me away in the first place, huh?"

"Isn't it obvious Myra? It still hasn't registered in your head yet? Well, let me say this one more time. I love you, Myra. That's why I bought you out of there it's because I am still in love with you and I couldn't see you staying in that place a minute longer," Eric yelled back before grabbing his jacket and leaving.

That was the last time I saw him before he disappeared. When he didn't return that night I got worried and almost debated about leaving the apartment. The next day he still didn't show up and I began to think the worse. Eric and I were just starting to get along and then we had that argument. I felt terrible for calling him a monster especially since the past weeks had shown me the old Eric, the real Eric.

The second night I was alone, I paced in front of the door wishing that he would walk in. For some strange reason I didn't like it that he was not here with me. When he came back it was late during the third night and he had made so much noise that it woke me up.

"Where were you," I asked when he was staring at himself in the mirror of the bathroom. His body was dripping slightly and a towel was wrapped around his waist. Eric turned and shook his head.

"Running an errand for your mother."

"Yes, I understand. But you usually come back at night," I said softly causing Eric's eyes to soften. "It's been three nights and," I shook my head looking away. "I thought you weren't coming back."

"Something happened in Amity and we're trying to sort of some stuff," Eric answered a bit vague. He walked pass me and lay back on the couch. "Goodnight Myra."

"I'm sorry," I said in reply causing him to sit back up. "I'm just so angry with you about everything. I guess to me, Edward turned out the way he did and I blamed it on you. He was my one chance at getting away from my mother and that disappeared."

"Did you love him?"

"In all honestly, I did. But not the way that I love you," I admitted.

Eric stood up and walked over to me. Like so many of our kisses, this one took my breath away. I hate how much I love Eric. Deep down inside, I think it was always Eric. I couldn't stand his violent tendencies and his demented way of thinking. I was irritated with him always following my mother's rules and giving me up. I was beyond upset that I had to endure the things that I did and yet I had always loved him. Before long I let Eric carry me over to his bed.

The next day I woke up, greatly satisfied. I was tucked into the side of Eric's naked body with his arm wrapped around me playing with my hair. He was already up. I moved my head to look up at him as he smiled down at me and kissed me softly. I felt no regret in what happened last night. I was still upset but I didn't care about him leaving me anymore. He was here now and I was beyond grateful for that.

Today I got to go outside of the apartment and we had a quiet moment together looking out at the City. It was beautiful. A couple more weeks had gone by and we continued to keep at our routine which was Eric working at his job during the day, every now and then calling in to stay back and take me outside, watching the clouds or doing something utterly lazy. And almost every night Eric and I spent it making love.

One morning Eric and I were playfully wrestling around in bed before he went to work. I had been laughing as he wickedly chuckled while rolling on top of me.

"You can't keep me here forever, you know?"

"I can try," he replied with a crooked smirk before nuzzling my neck.

"We'll still be living in my mother's shadow though," I said as he pulled back and sat up. "Even now, you have to get ready to go to work for her."

"Why don't we leave then?"

"What," I looked at him.

Eric nodded. "The Dauntless patrol the fence by Amity. I saw it when I was there. We can leave tonight and never come back."

"They won't let us leave."

"I'm still a Dauntless leader. I can order them to let us leave," he stated as he pushed himself up out of bed. "That's what we'll do."

"You're crazy," I smiled and so did he. "We don't know what's out there."

"That's the beauty of it. We'll go on this adventure together, me and you," he took my hand and kissed the back of it. "We'll leave tonight," Eric stated. "I'll get some stuff together so we can get out of here. You and me, we'll walk away from this place, away from your mom, away from her expectations."

"It's sounds too good to be true."

"It is true," he sat down by me on the bed and took both my hands in his. "Let me do this for us Myra. Let me make it up to you for abandoning you so long ago."

"Okay," I nodded.

"Okay?"

"Okay," I smiled as he threw himself back to kissing me all over. "You have to go," I pushed on his chest when his communicator started to beep.

"One more kiss," he smiled as he kissed my lips.

"Go," I pushed him again. Eric started getting dressed and came back to give me yet one more kiss before taking off to work. I couldn't help but smile. Tonight I would be rid of my mother and away from this city.


	9. Chapter 9

**I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.**

* * *

I waited that night with anticipation for Eric to come back.

Excitement coursed through me. We would finally be free. Eric was making a choice and this time the choice was me. I had wanted this for so long that I couldn't pack anything. Whatever clothes I had were placed in the small bag as I sat on the couch of Eric's small apartment. He should be home any moment now and we would make our way across the fence and leave behind all of this.

It was late into the night when I realized that he wasn't coming back at all. I turned to look at the time and noticed that it was the middle of the night. What if Eric decided not to go? Even if he did, he still would have come back to tell me right? I stood up and stared at the door, secretly praying that it would open. I had stood there like a madwoman concentrating on the door yelling at it in my head to produce Eric at this very moment. If he was going to back down on his promise to me yet again the least he could do was tell me to my face!

Then suddenly it hit me. This wasn't the first time Eric didn't come back. The last time he was gone for nearly three days. They had something come up at Amity. There was a small attack. I started to pace in the small entryway where the front door was. There could have been another attack. I gathered my jacket and put on my boots about to make my way to Amity again when I froze on the door handle. What if I went there and he wasn't?

Damn my Erudite mind that was coming up with all these other conclusions. Regardless of whether he was there or not, something was wrong. I felt it. I couldn't just stay here either and do nothing.

"What if mother had me locked away," I muttered to myself.

I couldn't bring myself to face her yet again. I hadn't passed initiation. She would think me a failure and things like that mattered to her.

But Eric, I pressed in my head. I couldn't just leave him wherever he was. I had to do something. I had to be brave, if not for him then at least for myself. I had to stand up to my mother. I had to show her that I didn't fear her anymore. And if Eric was there and didn't want to come then at least I would have the satisfaction of knowing.

Before the morning came I did the unthinkable. I left the apartment and headed there by myself. I was either brave or stupid for doing this but Eric was gone and I just had this feeling that he wasn't coming back. I needed answers. I knew my way around Erudite and almost immediately as I walked through the front door of the building where my mother's offices were I was greeted by several Dauntless guards pointing their guns at me.

"Myra."

"Gilbert," I stared at him and stood straighter. "I wish to see my mother now."

Gilbert took me straight to her. He walked in front of me with a couple guards between me and him while the rest of the guards were around me. As if I needed a security detail to see my mother. Something told me that she was afraid, probably afraid of the factionless that were rising up against her. I hadn't been to the factionless area but Jon had gone. He had mentioned that they were organized and highly efficient with what the factionless leader would tell them. I guess if I was my mother I would be scared, too.

Speaking about her, there she was in all her brilliance. She was looking out the window over the City as if in deep thought about something. My own mother didn't even notice my presence or turn around to acknowledge me when Gilbert told her that I was here. What was probably more embarrassing for her was that I had come dressed in a black pants and a black tank top. I was no longer her picture perfect daughter, dressed neatly as she always requested that I be. Here I was in Dauntless clothing. Part of me debated about that when I was leaving. But I had to remind her that that part of me was gone. I was no longer going to be her puppet.

I glanced around to see that the guards were using the same blue and black outfit that Eric had worn. It was to signify that Erudite had finally become one with Dauntless. I was not part of that. The last time I checked I was factionless and the last faction I belonged to was Dauntless, not this alliance that she had created. That was another reason why I would stand there with Dauntless clothing. It was to defy not just her but this stupid alliance that she made, thinking she could rule the City.

"You must be wondering why I have so many guards here," she said after a while.

"You attacked Abnegation," I answered.

"That is a lie."

I started to laugh causing Gilbert and a couple other Erudite to look back at me.

"Mother those statements may work on everyone here but I am not so ignorant." I took a couple steps forward towards her desk. "You have been feeding my mind that crap for years," I placed my hand on her desk. "Trying to look like the picture perfect Erudite," I laughed and shook my head.

"As you should be," she replied without facing me.

"I was fine with making my own choices. You purposely interfered with my life because it didn't fit into your plans."

"I only wanted what was best."

"Wanted what was best," I let out another laugh. "You wanted me to marry a man of your choosing. You wanted me to let go of the one person that I fell in love with. You wanted the Council removed because you want to rule this City. You wanted this, not me!"

"To get what you want, you have to resort to certain measures no matter how extreme."

"Extreme! What is extreme is what you just did!"

"It was a sacrifice for the greater good."

"Greater good," I shook my head. "Mother you not just tried to remove the Council, you went and destroyed an entire faction," I accused. "You always hated Abnegation. You detested the factionless and I know that you are looking for your perfect divergent! I not only heard but I have seen the things that you are capable of. I know you would do those things. You are nothing but a coward and I am leaving you behind forever!"

"What makes you think I am going to let you leave?"

"I didn't come for your permission. I came to inform you of my decision. Just like my choice to defect factions, I am making this choice and you can't stop me," I said turning on my heels.

"Your father is gone," she said causing me to stop. She had rarely talked about my father. Why would she bring him up now?

"I know that he is gone," I replied. "He's been gone for years, mother. Or did you not remember that?"

"No I remembered," she answered. "I have always known where he was. I had been keeping tabs on him ever since he left."

"I was looking for him when we attacked Abnegation."

"He was Abnegation?"

"I shared everything with him. I even shared with him my plans for the Divergent. I showed him the testing that I had been conducting," she started. "You see I had begun testing serums on the factionless kids."

"Factionless kids," I stared at her back in disgust. "You tested on children?"

Jeanine started to laugh. "That's how I know you are just like your father. He said the exact same thing," she let out a sigh. "He looked at me differently after that. That's when I noticed that he began spending his time with some other girl. When I found out I was pregnant, I hated him for it. I had you extracted hoping to kill the one thing that he and I created. But I loved him still," she laughed again. "So I kept you on ice and then put you back in when I was ready to share with someone my research and plans."

"You wanted to get rid of me?"

"A woman will do strange things when she is in love. Not to mention that your father left. I would have been all alone and on my own," she shook her head. "That is all in the past though."

"Apparently not," I disagreed. "It's not in the past for you. That's why you don't like Abnegation. It's because he is there."

"He was on the Council," she answered. "He was the head of the Council."

"Marcus Eaton," I whispered thinking about all the stories that she had made up about him and the rest of the Council members. "You said that he beat his wife," I said. "You made up those stories about him to..."

"Those stories were true."

"Marcus Eaton is my father," I questioned. "You knew where he was and yet you didn't bother..."

"He left us Myra."

"And because of that you didn't want to just remove him, you wanted to end him?"

"He started a new life with someone else. He does not care about me or you Myra," she glanced back. "As I continued on with my life it all became clear why he was disgusted with me testing factionless and looking for divergence. He was a Divergent himself. I wanted to stick a needle in him first but the Dauntless guards went in and they couldn't find him."

"So he might be alive," I said.

"Not for long," she laughed. "Not when I find him and find him I will."

I glanced over at a couple of the Dauntless guards and remembered why I had come here.

"Where is Eric?"

"He's been imprisoned in Candor. For someone who scored so high, he sure is a complete failure. I have no idea what you saw in him."

"Let me go to him."

"Eric told me that you and Edward didn't make it through initiation," she replied. "That could only mean one thing," she turned around quickly. "You're factionless. You've been factionless for a while. Do you know where the factionless leader is?"

"What do you care if I do?"

"No," Jeanine shook her head. "You don't know where she is. I can see it on your face." She turned and let out a sigh. "If you must know the factionless leader from what I could uncover from those willing factionless we found the other day," she nodded towards the corner where in a separate room where a couple factionless strapped to chairs.

My mother obviously had no qualms about continuing to administer tests on factionless as if their lives meant nothing to her.

"They told us before their untimely demise that the leader is a woman," my mother continued.

"She's actually Four's mother," I accidentally let slip.

Perhaps it was because I wanted to show her that I knew something that she didn't. It only dawned on me when she turned to look at me with a small smile that I had just betrayed Four. My mother motioned for another Erudite to step forward. The boy looked to be the same age as me, maybe a year older due to the professional look on his face as he dressed like an Erudite.

"You were recently with Four," my mother questioned the young man.

"Yes," he answered. "I was with him and my sister Beatrice in Amity until you recovered me and Peter."

I briefly remember Four saying that he wasn't with any other Dauntless except Tris and they were trying to find the other Dauntless. Something told me that if he probably kept Tris at Amity so she wouldn't have to go to the factionless district. He said it wasn't safe for me. If Four wanted to protect me I knew he would go through extreme lengths to keep Tris safe as well.

"If I were to send you back to her," Jeanine stated to the man.

He shook his head though. "We got separated in Erudite. Eric bought Peter and I back here. I highly doubt that that Four will keep them in Amity."

"Exactly and if what Myra said is true about the leader being Four's mother then he would have taken her there," Jeanine supplied. "She is the one we need. If what you tell me is true and that she confessed to you having received three factions on her aptitude then your sister is the one that I need. Go to the factionless and see if she is there."

"He wouldn't even know where to look," I shot out at her causing them both to look at me. "The factionless are organized," I clarified. "I haven't been that far in but I know that there are ladders to climb to even get close to their leader. Jon, another factionless from Dauntless said that they never let him go in. They won't let an Erudite," I pointed to the young man. "Regardless if he is Tris' brother or not."

"Yet you saw Four," my mother pointed to me. "You could go in."

I shook my head. "Even if I could, I wouldn't."

"Then if you didn't see Four then how do you know about his mother, who is supposed to be dead," Jeanine replied.

"That is what Four told me. His mother is the factionless leader. I believe him. And considering the lies that you make up, I do not believe you."

"Four is also known as Tobias Eaton," my mother smiled. "Marcus Eaton's son."

I looked down as realization hit me hard. Four is my half-brother. My mother knew all these things about a family that I never knew.

"Marcus Eaton married a woman named Evelyn Johnson," my mother continued. "The lies that I made up about Marcus are not lies. They are truth. He beat his wife, which," she smiled. "I honestly made me feel some sort of justice. She stole your father away from me and that was the price she had to pay."

"You're sick," I shook my head at her.

"Marcus killed her. I have the reports myself," she held up a tablet. "So tell me how it is possible that this woman is Four's mother?"

"I don't know. All I know is what he told me."

"We'll send Myra in," she looked at Tris' brother. "They'll accept her over you."

"No," I yelled. "You won't have me betray my brother like that."

"You barely know him. Besides he is the one who has had your father's love, not you. He is the one who got to spend all that family time together with his father, not you. You have a right in betraying him," my mother pressed.

"Just like he had a right in betraying his sister," I pointed to Tris' brother.

"All for the better of..."

"For the better of you and your selfish pride," I shouted.

"Why did you come here, Myra? What is it that you wanted," she asked.

"I wanted Eric," I answered. "I wanted to let you know that I was leaving and that I am taking Eric with me. I won't be part of this plan of yours any longer. And I suggest that you give up this plan also," I looked to the young man. "Think about your sister. My mother will kill her," I said as he looked away. "She doesn't care about what is good for this City. Can't you see that?"

"That is enough Myra." Jeanine came to stand straight. "If what you say is true about the factionless leader being Four's mother, then I want nothing more than to have her dead. She is the reason your father left me. She's hiding multiple divergences. There is a factionless uprising and they are being led by _her_. She always hated me growing up. She was jealous!"

I let out a laugh. "Looks like she got everything you didn't."

My mother walked straight up to me and lifted her hand to slap me. Unfortunately I still remembered a few things from Dauntless and was able to dodge it and push her back. Jeanine tumbled a little on her heels but collected herself. And just like that, she had me taken away. It didn't matter. I got the information that I wanted. Once the guards had me taken out of the building I knew that this was my chance.

I broke out into a sprint remembering that I could still dodge anything that came my way. I wanted to get away from this place and especially from my mother. There was only one person I could think of right now. I had to go and find Eric. I had to go to Candor.

It was not hard to get there without running into any Erudite or my mother's men. I had seen a few Dauntless who almost didn't let me in. I could tell that they were the true Dauntless. They were the ones that Four was speaking of when I saw him.

"We cannot let you in," one of the guards said.

"Please," I pleaded. I needed to find Eric. He was in here somewhere. "I'm Dauntless just like you."

"Then why don't I recognize you," another guard said.

"I just passed initiation," I lied.

"Are you sure about that," the first one eyed me out.

"Yes I am," I stood straighter. "Please, just let me. I've been hiding from Erudite and I found out that this is where the true Dauntless are. I just..."

The man pushed me back causing me to fall.

"I think you're a spy sent to give them information."

"No, I'm not. I promise. Please just let me in!"

The guards lifted their guns at me. "Get out of here," one of them growled.

"No, I can't," I shook my head.

"There's no one who can vouch for you here," the other jabbed the end of his gun into my chest. "Now get out of here."

I ran past them in one final attempt to make it into Candor. Both of them were able to tackle me to the ground. I had been struggling against them, trying my best to punch or kick them in response. One of the guards were finally able to bind my hands and dragged me up from off the ground.

"Why you little," he pulled back his arm to punch me as the second guard held me.

"Myra?"

The guard paused and turned to the voice. I looked up too and felt a huge wave of relief wash through me.

"Four," I breathed out as he motioned for the two men to let me go.

* * *

 **Just a side note, I kept it like the book instead of the movie for this part. Instead of only Peter getting captured at Amity I had it that Peter and Caleb did, just like in the book. So Caleb never went to the factionless sector.**


	10. Chapter 10

**I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.**

* * *

Four looked like he had been through hell and I could see that he was desperately trying not to lose his mind as he sat me down on the bench across from him. I couldn't help but look around at the people walking about in Candor. The Dauntless looked shaken up which was an odd sight to see. They were the strong and brave faction and yet here they were looking like confused factionless.

"What are you doing here, Myra?"

I turned back to Four to see him studying me.

"I don't know where to start," I replied.

Four titled his head and then let out a long sigh.

"Are you here to gain information for your mother?"

"No," I shook my head.

"Are you here to ask where Edward is?"

"No," I answered again.

"Then what is it?"

I took a deep breath and stared right into his eyes. "I came here to get Eric back."

Four's jaw tightened but he didn't say anything. He stood up quickly and motioned for me to follow him. I walked past a few bunks where the Dauntless were sleeping in Candor and noticed the Abnegation girl Tris was watching us along with a couple other Dauntless. She looked like she wanted to stand up and follow but she sighed and turned away. I wanted to tell her that I saw her brother and that he was with my mother but Four kept walking and I didn't want to lose him as we were walking through the building. We came across a sight that made me let out a slight scream.

"Who is this," a Dauntless woman asked coming to stand by me.

"This is Myra," Four answered her. "Myra, this is Tori. She is one of the new Dauntless leaders."

"Tori," someone shouted as she nodded to Four, looked me up and down before turning to whoever had called her.

"What's going on," I asked.

"We're trying to recover," Four answered as I glanced around at people who were being tended to. "The people here are just some of those who were injured yesterday when Eric and his group of Dauntless traitors infiltrated Candor in the dead of the night and attacked not just us Dauntless but the Candor as well," Four informed me as I turned away. "Look at them Myra," his voice was hard. "People weren't just injured, some of them are dead!"

"I'm sorry," I mumbled as I let a tear fall.

"You're sorry," he questioned with a slight chuckle at the end. "You're sorry? Eric held a gun to a little girl's head, Myra!"

"That wasn't him," I whispered.

"I saw him with my own eyes, Myra!"

"I don't care who saw him," I turned to face Four. "That wasn't him. Please," I pleaded and looked back down. "Just let me take him and I promise he won't do this again. Please Four, just let me take him."

Tears started to fall from my eyes and I wondered if Four would allow me or not. 'No, he wouldn't' the voice inside my head began to chant. People were injured, people were dead and the rest of them wanted revenge for that. That's why they were holding Eric. They wanted someone to be accountable and he was that person. The request to have me take Eric away was almost nonexistent. Besides that, I could also see that the chances of me even getting to see Eric were disappearing.

"Someone needs to be responsible for the crimes that the Dauntless leaders have committed. And if that starts with Eric then so be it," Four confirmed my thoughts before placing a hand on my back and ushering me away from their little hospital area.

The next hour I spent sitting down in the corner on some rooftop crying my eyes out. I didn't want to just leave Eric and from what I heard from Four was that my mother had stopped asking for his return. That meant that he was stuck here, stuck at the mercy of Four and the rest of the Dauntless who wanted someone to pay and regardless of how much I pleaded with Four that someone was going to be Eric.

"Four," I said as I found him discussing something with a couple other Dauntless.

He stood up and walked me away from the table.

"I get it. You all want him to pay. Will he be locked up here or will you take him back to Dauntless," I asked.

"He's going to be put on a Dauntless trial tomorrow morning and if found guilty then he will be executed."

"If," I questioned. "Come on Four. I think we both know that everyone here wants him dead," I responded. "Can you let me see him?"

"He's dangerous Myra."

"Not to me he's not. I mean he was but that was different," I looked down.

"I can't let anyone go there, Myra."

"Please at least let me see him. At the very least, you can do that," I begged.

"No," Four began to walk away.

"I know who you are," I yelled causing him to stop and turn his head back. "I know who your father is."

"Everyone knows who my father is," Four said turning completely around to face me. "Candor put me under the truth serum," Four started walking towards me. "What were you planning on doing with that information exactly? Blackmailing me into letting you take Eric out of here," he questioned. "The apple really doesn't fall far from the tree doesn't it? There's no doubt whose daughter you are," Four glared as he eyed me out before turning once more.

"I guess there's no doubt whose son you are," I replied causing Four to march back towards me.

"You have no idea what my father was like!"

"Of course I don't," I said calmly. "It's because he abandoned my mother."

Four's eyebrows knitted together as he studied me.

"My mother just confessed to me before I came here that Marcus Eaton is my father and that he left her for your mother. That's why she wanted to destroy the Council and Abnegation. It was a reminder that the sick bastard she obsessed about left her," I looked him straight in the eye.

Four's lips twitched into a smile. "That's what Jeanine told you."

"If you think I'm lying you can put me under the truth serum too. But you know full well that you don't need to do that to me. I will gladly tell you because I know that we're siblings. Like you said, the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree. If you ask me I got the worst end of both sides, a father who abandoned me and a mother bent on revenge."

"My mother abandoned me with my father who beat me on daily basis. Now my mother is the leader of the factionless and looking to take over the City. I would say we both got the worst," he replied. Four let out a sigh and then titled his head looking at me. "So my father abandoned Jeanine, that's why she went ahead and killed a bunch of people in Abnegation?"

"He chose that life over a life with her. My mother also believes that our father is a divergent. That's another reason why she wanted to ruin him."

Four grabbed my arm and pulled me further away from everyone.

"What makes you think that my father is divergent," Four questioned.

"Our father," I corrected.

"Our father, whatever."

"I only think that because my mother said so. She was testing factionless and Marcus got disgusted with her."

"They're both twisted people," Four looked up and stared off into the distance above my head. "I understand everything now. This is nothing more than just a couple bitter women wanting to waste the city because one man did them wrong."

"That's why your mother wants control," I asked.

"She knew," Four shook his head. "She knew that Erudite was going to attack Abnegation and she let him happen because she wanted to see our father dead."

I let out a small giggle. "With that knowledge, I honestly don't know which one of our mother's should get the award for best mother of the year."

We stood there for a while in silence as I let Four mull the information over in his head. Four let out a sigh and then moved to stand at a spot where he could look out at the City. I turned to stand by him and it just so happened that he was looking out over Abnegation. It wasn't that far and from here I could see where Erudite and the Dauntless who followed Eric had torn through the place.

"Why Eric," Four asked after a while.

"Why Eric," I questioned wondering what it was he wanted to know.

"Why would you do all of this for him," Four turned to me.

"I fell in love with him back in Erudite," I answered truthfully. "He was my first kiss, my first smile, my first broken heart," I listed. "My mother barely even knew him while we were dating. His scores were high and so my mother hand selected him to do, well," I turned to Four. "You know what he was chosen to do. I tried to get him to stay back but my mother said that he could no longer be with me if he did, so he gave into her pressure and left me behind. Even in Dauntless, he said it would be safer for me if I stayed with him but I had come to love Edward also, someone my mother also selected to do her bidding."

Four nodded. "I remember you telling me that."

"He was supposed to be the next Eric but somewhere back in Erudite he decided to betray my mother. I think that's why he's with your mother now," I told Four as he nodded again. "Eric found me in the factionless. I've been staying with him ever since. He said he was going to work for my mother one last time and we would leave that night."

"Leave," Four questioned.

"Leave behind this war, forget about what's happened and just be with each other," I answered honestly.

"Eric would give up his leadership position and everything he's worked so hard for to demote himself to nothing just to have a normal life?"

"With me, yes," I stated.

"Are we talking about the same Eric?"

"I know what he's done. He's been working for my mom but believe me when I say this Four that I love him despite all of that. I love him and he loves me. What else do you want to hear, Four? Eric and I would have been long gone by now. My mother made him do this last job and I know that it's killed people but I know another Eric, the Eric who, yes wants to have a normal life."

Four looked down and silence grew between us again.

"What is it that you want me to do Myra?"

"I don't know what to do if he was taken away from me again without me getting a chance to say goodbye. At least let me tell him bye."

Four nodded and then walked with me down some hallways. He turned to face me right before we hit the door that was guarded with five people. Did they really need that much people to watch Eric if he was already locked up?

"He is cuffed," Four said softly. "Here is the key. I'm only going to allow you a couple hours in there and this is not for him or because I believe he wants a normal life. This is because you are my sister." Four cupped my cheek and I saw his eyes water. "I believe that. Of all the things you said, that is what I believe. I believe my father would do that and I wouldn't put it past your mother to want her revenge. We both suffered in unimaginable ways, whether it was physical or mental and emotional." I let out a tear as he wiped it away with his thumb. "Who our parents are and what they do shouldn't affect the people that we are. Remember that," he released my face as I nodded.

Four motioned for the guards to disappear. All but one stayed behind. Four was the one who inputted the code to open Eric's cell.

"Well, well, well," I heard Eric chuckle as he stood up from his cot, hands cuffed and looking beaten. "To what do I owe this displeasure, Four?"

"Someone wanted to see you," Four tensed.

"Oh really?"

I could imagine the smirk on Eric's face so I quickly moved from the hiding in Four's shadow. Sure enough there was a smirk. The second his eyes fell on me, it disappeared. His fists that were bound together tightened as he tried to barge up to Four. The other guard who was there lifted up a gun and pointed it at Eric. He paused and gritted his teeth.

"Let her go, Four," Eric snarled.

"She came here to see you."

"Myra," Eric turned to me. "Get out of here Myra. Go back to Erudite."

"I can't," I shook my head. "She won't let me," I said softly as Eric shook his head.

"She'll take you back. Four, call Jeanine and tell her that Myra is here. Tell Candor that I'll submit myself for my crimes against Dauntless. Send Myra back in my place," Eric stated.

Four turned to me without saying anything to Eric and nodded. The guard followed Four out of the room and they both closed the door behind us. I pulled out the key that Four gave me and undid Eric's cuffs.

"Myra," he whispered.

I moved him back to sit down on the cot and bought out some medical supplies to clean up his hands and his face.

"Don't," Eric said as he took my hand from his face and held it in his.

"Just let me clean this up," I replied.

My hands trembled as I wiped away at his wounds. The blood wasn't fresh but I could tell that the guards here had taken their turns at hitting or kicking him. After resting both of his hands down I had him take off his shirt and rubbed some cream onto the bruises, feeling my fingers around for any broken bones. Luckily there wasn't any. I had just finished tending to his eye when he reached out for my wrist again.

"What are you doing here, Myra?"

"You didn't come back," I said. "I waited and you didn't come. I asked my mother and she said that you were here."

"There has been talk about Candor and her negotiating my release but I know the Dauntless won't let me go."

I shook my head. "She stopped negotiation. She's turned her attention somewhere else. The Dauntless will put you on trial tomorrow morning," I answered as Eric looked down and nodded.

"It's because I failed her," he mumbled. "I failed you," he admitted. "If I had done better then maybe..."

I reached out my hand and pulled his face to look at me. "You did all that you could and that is all that I ever asked for." I climbed into his lap and kissed him softly as I felt his hand wrap itself around my waist and pull me closer. "They say that usually a prisoner gets one last request," I whispered as I pulled off my shirt. "Do you have any?"

"Show me where we would be if we made outside these walls," he mumbled before crashing our lips together.

Eric made love to me right there on the cot of his imprisoned room. It was bliss and full of sighs and longing looks. Every touch and movement felt like he was committing me to memory. It was painstakingly slow and it really tested my patience. And when that was over, I turned us around and moved on top of him. Eric's eyes were locked with mine before I threw my head back and cried out his name.

I had forgotten how much time Four said I had to say goodbye but I was going to make the most of every second. And everything that Eric did showed that he wanted to as well. The way he touched me and I touched him made me think that he wanted to burn himself into my memory.

"Don't forget me," he whispered as we began our third round of love making.

"Never," I replied before pleasured sounds filled the room once again.

Eric held me tightly to him, our bodies tangled in a sweaty blissful mess. They had given Eric no blankets but I didn't shy away from him, letting us both rest in our bare forms holding on desperately to one another. Eric whispered that he loved me and that he would always be with me. Something told me that he would always be with me too. I promised that I would never forget him. I could never forget the first person that I loved.

His fingers played with my hair as I allowed mine to trace the line in the middle of his chest. Eric was getting some hair there and I found that I didn't mind it. I hated seeing him hairless. We were both smiling at one another enjoying the warmth and intimacy before Eric had requested another session. I kissed his neck and moved my way up to his lips.

"Have you loved anyone else when you went to Dauntless?"

"You're going to ask me that now," Eric opened his eyes and lifted an eyebrow at me.

"Please?"

"No," he whispered. "I'll admit that I had a few who warmed my bed but they meant nothing more to me."

"If I had stayed in Dauntless would I have become like those girls?"

"No," he shook his head. "You would have warmed my bed and meant everything to me," he replied before pulling my face back to kiss his. "Because that's what you are, everything," his lips said against mine.

I had just decided to climb back on top of him when the door flew open.

"Four," I sat up pulling Eric's shirt towards my chest and scooting back a bit to hide my body.

"Your time is up."


	11. Chapter 11

**I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.**

* * *

"Myra," Eric whispered pulling me back to him just as I was about to exit. "I love you," he said. "If I could have turned back time, I would have fought harder for you like I was supposed to."

"I know you would have," I replied before hugging him tightly.

Four cleared his throat and I pulled back with Eric still holding onto me.

"Keep her away from the sentencing," Eric moved his head to look over at Four who nodded in response. "Wherever you go, whatever you do," Eric bought my face up to his. "Remember me, be safe and most importantly be free, Myra."

Four had to have a guard pull me away from Eric. My hands gripped his arms tightly as I was yanked away from him. I didn't scream at the guards to stop. I didn't beg to have Four give me a minute longer. I knew that it was now or never. Four was having me taken away from Eric and Eric would be locked in there waiting until his trial and then his eminent execution.

I was bought to a small room where Four had posted two guards ensuring that I wouldn't leave unless Four had authorized it or came there himself. I couldn't find it in me to cry. Perhaps there were no tears left in me. I knew they were there. I knew that I was sad and struck with grief over what was to become of Eric but no tears would fall from my eyes.

It must have been hours that went by as I sat there staring out the window. Some part of me told my mind that I was a prisoner here as well. Perhaps the Dauntless would bargain me off to Erudite in exchange for what they wanted. Jeanine had used them and I knew that they were an angry mass of people just seeking their justice. Would I also be on the receiving end of Dauntless justice, like Eric?

Another part said that Four knew that he and I were siblings and would keep his promise to Eric that I would not be allowed to see the trial. I had debated in my mind about requesting Four to let me see Eric's trial. At the same time I couldn't allow myself to picture that mental image of them executing him. I wanted to remember Eric the way that we were earlier this morning and throughout the night. Or even how we were when he and I were back in Erudite, two innocent teenagers with hearts full of puppy love.

There was no way to keep track of how long I had been there in that room waiting for news about Eric's death. I also wondered what would happen to me after everything was said and done. Would Four allow me to stay in Dauntless with him or would he send me back to my mother? Since I was factionless would he send me to his mother and have her look after me? I was confused now. The only thing that was certain was that Eric had told me to be free. The problem was that me being free was not back in Erudite or among the factionless. It was with Eric.

"Myra."

I turned and gave Four a small smile. He motioned for me to walk with him and I slowly detached myself from my spot on solitude and followed.

"Is Eric..."

"Not yet," Four quickly said.

I let out a sigh as we walked down the hallway. There were no Dauntless present and something told me that the trial had started. No doubt Candor was probably doing their questioning as of right now. Or as Eric said, the Dauntless would be having their moment of justice in questioning him. That meant that right now he could be getting beaten again by a few guards. Four answered me with a 'not yet' meaning that Eric was still alive. In what state though, I was not sure. That left me with only one other question.

"What will become of me?"

"I would not ask this of anyone but," Four paused and turned to me. "Where would you like to go?"

"Where ever it is the safest place to be at a time like this," I responded. "Away from my mother and unfortunately away from your mother as well," I finished.

Four let out a sigh and looked down. "Would you want to meet our father?"

"He's here," I questioned looking around.

"Right now I would say the safest place for you to be is in Amity," Four stated as he looked up at me. "Johanna Reyes is taking in people who are not part of the altercation. I can write up something saying that you will not cause them any distress and that you will live there among them, happily and freely. Dauntless activity there is a minimum," he assured me. "Very few stayed there. Majority of them are looking to return to the Compound. As for Erudite, they've already raided the place."

"I know," I looked down.

"I highly doubt that Erudite will return there. As for our father, he is here. He will more than likely travel to Amity as well," Four informed me.

"Does he know about me," I turned to Four as he shook his head sadly. "Then don't tell him," I finished. "Part of me wants to see him and question why he would do the things that he did. If he had stayed with my mother, then neither mine nor yours would be seeking their own twisted way of revenge on him."

"The way I see it both our mothers destroyed a faction just because they wanted to see one man ended," Four nodded.

"My mother won't stop though."

"Neither will mine," he added.

"I will go to Amity then, when the trial is over."

"They will execute him Myra," Four told me. "The trial will not see him locked up. Right now..."

"Right now he's probably getting beaten. I understand that. I just," I looked down. "I want to know for sure. I rather leave here knowing exactly what happened to him. Maybe they'll even let me take his body and bury it in Amity."

"He made me promise to keep you away from it."

"I won't watch," I insisted. "I won't leave though until it is done."

Four nodded. "There is a room down there. Candor is serving meals right now if you want to get one while the trial is taking place. You can come back up here, take the right from the hallway we just came and that will lead you back to your room," he said. "If not you can wait in their cafeteria and I'll look for you there first."

"Thank you."

I walked over to the cafeteria. There were only a few Candors in there and I was the only Dauntless looking person around. After grabbing some food I went and sat down, patiently waiting instead of eating. I didn't feel like eating. My Erudite curiosity was not only seeking an outcome but a defense. What was Eric stating as his reason for all of this? Under the truth serum they could discover everything that is if the Dauntless allowed Candor to go along that far in 'their' trial. I knew for a fact that this probably would not see a Candor court.

It was not long until I heard it, the shouting and the endless cries for justice. I looked at the tray of food and went to throw everything away quickly. I followed the screams until I came towards a bunch of stairs that I knew led towards the Candor auditorium where everyone would be seated. There were rows and rows of people dressed in black shouting to have Eric murdered.

I searched the scene until I saw Four standing there in the middle with two other people, shuffling around three guns.

"I want you to do it," Eric gritted.

"No," I shook my head and tried to walk down there as people started encouraging Four to do it.

"This is the Dauntless way," the woman next to Four argued.

"Dauntless leaders were to be the ones to handle the guns," Eric snarled. "I see no Dauntless leader in front of me. But you," he turned to Four. "We both know that they wanted you. You were the best," Eric smirked.

My feet carried me closer towards the bottom until a few Dauntless stood up and barricaded me from continuing on. They were tall and built. They kept shouting at Four to just end him already. Four shook his head and the more they egged him on. Some people were calling him a coward and weak.

"That's why you don't want to do it, isn't it," Eric questioned. "It's because you're weak and pathetic!"

"You know why," Four replied.

"She never has to know," Eric said and that was when I stopped.

Four didn't want to be the one to shoot Eric and that was because of me. He was truly being selfless in this moment but Eric wanted him to do it. Why? Why would Eric do that? Something told me by the way the Dauntless were yelling that Four had to prove himself. Eric knew that too. So what if the leaders thought he was the best. That was when I sat down and realized something that Four told me earlier.

Everyone knew that his father was Marcus Eaton. If the rumors that my mother made up were true that means that everyone knew he was beaten by his father. That is why people were yelling insults at him. Eric blatantly put himself up for execution at the hands of Four knowing that that is what the Dauntless wanted. There were no leaders here. Eric and Max had betrayed the faction and turned them into my mother's puppets. If Four wanted their trust he had to earn it. He had to be the one to pull the trigger. Would I forgive him for doing it though?

"Four," shouted Eric.

There was a moment of silence as I heard a gun click. "Be brave, Eric," Four muttered.

"Be free," Eric finished.

I turned around and walked away just as I heard the gun go off.

I sat in my room when Four came to find me. I still had not cried yet. Why couldn't I cry? I had just lost the first love of my life again. The first time I lost him to my mother and now I had lost him at the hands of my brother. I closed my eyes and forced myself to cry. The waterworks did not come. I tried to feel hatred and anger towards Four as he sat there across from me but still nothing. There was no emotion. It was like I was void of any now that Eric had died.

"When will you leave?"

"When his body is ready," I answered.

"I'll escort you there."

"There is no need."

My answers came out robotic and stiff and something told me that that's how I would be for some time. My reason for coming here was to get Eric back. The fact that he was dead now was not going to stop me. I was leaving here with him and only him. Four nodded and said that he would be back with Eric.

"I know you shot him," I said just as he reached the door. "I went to look at the execution. I shouldn't have but I did."

"I didn't want to," Four answered.

"I know," my lips tried to smile but they wouldn't. "Eric requested it though. He did it for you, you know," I still stared off at the wall instead of turning to face him.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because I know Eric," I finally got a small smile on my lips. "There are no Dauntless leaders without sacrifice. He knew in order to gain the people's trust you had to do it. They think you a coward because of your father. If you hadn't you would just been another body. But they'll take you seriously now because you executed the man that they believe is responsible."

This time my head turned to Four.

"They'll follow you as a leader now."

Four nodded and left.

I had time to think desperately about what I was going to do. I was going to Amity that much was certain. I hadn't planned on a life on my own and that left me feeling scared for the first time. My mother had always planned things for me. I was told what to learn, what to say, what to think, and what to feel and who to be with. Now things were open to me. Instead of being scared now I was excited. Excited, because this was where my freedom lied.

I thought I had been free when I defected to Dauntless but I was still being told what to do by my mother and by Eric. I thought I had been free when I had chosen to live factionless with Edward but he had changed and still left in the shadows of our past. Now though I would be going to Amity and I would live the way that I wanted to. I had worked it out in my mind to ask Johanna Reyes if I could be put to use as a nurse or as a caregiver for the little children, teaching them basics before they went to school. Maybe she would let me study the agriculture there and I could improve on something. My mind was whirling with the possibilities and to me they were endless.

"Thank you Eric," I whispered as I closed my eyes.

It was Eric who had given me this opportunity. He was the reason why I would free.

"Your welcome."

My eyes snapped open and turning my head, I caught the sight of Eric standing there. He was beaten further then he had been when I first saw him. A black pants and black shirt were on him. All piercings were removed and a huge bandage was wrapped around the top of his head.

"Eric," I stared at him. "It can't be," I stood up and walked over to him.

"It is," Four's voice came out from the doorway. "I gave him a backpack and this is yours," Four set something on the ground as I stared at Eric uncertainly. "There are some supplies in there though I am certain that Amity will provide you two with other items. I informed Eric that that is where you would be going and so he is being sent there with you, off the record of course."

"What's going on? I don't understand," I shook my head and looked at Four. "I heard the gunshot. He's supposed to be dead. What is..."

"As far as I'm concerned the Dauntless leader who enslaved the minds of an entire faction to murder another **is** dead," Four stated. "The guy you see before you is just a Dauntless refugee seeking shelter in Amity."

"I," I shook my head again and looked at Eric.

"Four put a fake bullet inside the gun," Eric said as he took my hand and pressed it against his forehead. There was a bump there and no doubt some blood had come out when he had initially been shot. "I was told that you wanted to my body to Amity," he smirked.

I let out a happy tremble before tears started to come down my face. They finally came. I turned to Four and threw myself in his arms. He seemed a little taken back by our physical contact but I brushed it off. We were family, a weird one with two absolutely crazy mothers and one distant father but still we were family.

"You did it for me," I whispered.

"Yes, once a stiff always a stiff," Eric taunted behind us.

I felt Four's head lift up and I turned to see him staring at Eric. "Hey," I said making Four look down. "Will you come with us?"

Four shook his head. "I need to go back to Dauntless, make sure the people feel safe. Maybe I'll go and see my mom. But there are a lot of things to do and your mother is still insistent as ever."

"Yes, she is," I smiled sadly.

Four smiled at me and then turned to look at Eric before exiting the room. Eric came and took my hand and we followed Four out the door, down some stairs and out of the building. We were heading to Amity.


	12. Chapter 12

**I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.**

* * *

I stood on top of the back porch about ready to call Eric in for dinner when I just had to stop and admire the man in front of me. He's hacking away at the wood and of course he is doing the activity without any shirt on. The Amity's brown slacks look a bit dirty on him but it adds to the affect. Eric has taken out a few of the piercings that he has in the first few weeks that passed when we arrived. After about two months he ended up taking them all out. Aside from the tattoos that he does cover up when we join the rest of Amity in their gathering center, he blends in just fine. Eric hasn't gel backed his hair since a month after we got here either. I never realized how curly or wavy they look. He started growing a beard which I don't mind either. It made him look more rugged then I thought he could. The sight before me was enough to make me stop. That must mean that I am enjoying this side of Eric a bit too much. I still remember what it was like when we had first got here.

"Eric," I asked him one night. "Are you upset that I bought you out here to Amity?"

"Our plan was to leave the City, Myra," he turned to face me. "I just never thought that we would be hiding."

"We're not hiding."

"Really," he stood up and started to pace in the small house that Johanna let us have.

It wasn't much but it was a far cry from any apartment in Erudite. There wasn't electricity here and that was a bit difficult for both me and Eric.

"We're not exactly sitting pretty here in Amity."

"Do you think we would be if we were outside of the City?"

"This just isn't what I expected," Eric turned back to me.

"Are you having second thoughts," I asked.

"Sometimes, yes I do," he spat out before leaving me alone that night.

Eric disappeared for two nights. He had gone back to Dauntless only to find out that Four and Six were captured by my mother but released by none other than Peter. The guy from Candor who I always believed had stabbed Edward that gruesome night back in the dormitory.

"What are you going to do," Eric asked Johanna.

"Tori asked me the same thing," Johanna stood up. "And I will tell you the same thing that I told her."

"Let me guess," Eric snarled. "You can't get involved."

Eric stormed out of Johanna's office and went back to our small house.

"Eric we can't do anything anymore. Remember the whole point of this is to start a new life together," I pleaded as he slammed the washroom door shut.

Eric didn't like being told to just sit down and do nothing. He didn't like being a bystander. He didn't appreciate that he was nothing but some refugee in Amity. Yes, even I had to admit that it did seem like we were hiding out. But we both promised that we would no longer be a part of whatever it was that my mother was planning.

It was rough to bounce back from that for Eric. He had gone from being someone of great importance, who was feared by many and now he was just some guy in a small cottage in Amity. He felt useless.

"I'm sorry," he said to me a day or two later as we were sitting down in the Amity gathering area.

I turned my attention away from a group of children laughing and playing with a puppy. "Eric, I understand that this is hard for you."

"I shouldn't have to take it out on you though, Myra," he said. "It's just," he shook his head. "I was someone you know."

"You still are."

"No, I'm not."

"Eric," I took his hand. "You're someone to me," I replied.

"Give me another chance," he whispered.

"I always will," I smiled.

"Thank you Myra," he lifted our interlocked hands and pressed a kiss to the back of mine.

Eric must have noticed that someone was looking at him because he paused from chopping wood and looked up at me. A small smile crossed his face as he set down the ax and made his way over towards the wagon, the wagon that is full with chopped wood is ready to be taken to Johanna. We were given some jobs because everyone did their part in Amity. Eric walks out to the woods nearby to gather wood, big and small. Eric was only supposed to collect the logs from the woods but he insisted that he chop them and then deliver them to Johanna for the rest of Amity to come and pick up what they need. After a couple weeks, instead of having a small wooden barrel Johanna saw fit to give me and Eric a small wagon.

I had started helping out a few others with the child daycare here in Amity. It wasn't an esteemed job that my mother would want but neither Eric nor I cared at this point. I had heard that my mother had died and that Four's mother was taking over. Johanna did go out at Eric's request and tried to talk to the members of Dauntless. Apparently the decision was made by the new leaders to create an alliance with the factionless. When Johanna had returned that day, she wasn't upset but we could tell something was different. We were among the first people that she came to visit that day and explained what she saw. Four had also written to me and asked if Johanna could deliver it.

"The factionless have completely taken over," Johanna told us. "Dauntless thinks that it's a good thing to see Erudite fall." Johanna shook her head. "The balance has been thrown off."

"What did Four write you," asked Eric after Johanna had left.

"His mother is the leader of this faction-less City," I put the note down. "And that's exactly what this is, Eric. She wants to remove all factions."

"Why?"

"To make everyone factionless," I turned to him.

Eric pulled me into his arms. "First Abnegation, now Erudite," he shook his head.

"My mother started it," I said quietly. "Four's mother is finishing it."

That had happened a couple weeks ago. No one really came and bothered those at Amity. If you came to Amity you were also seeking refuge from the chaos that was unleashed in the City. I continued to work with the children at the day care and Eric worked as a wood gatherer for everyone in Amity. Eric and I rarely left the Amity borderline either. We had fallen into a daily routine and had made the best of our situation.

"Were you going to come with me today," called Eric as he loaded up the last bit of wood into the wagon.

"I was going to tell you that I got dinner ready," I said walking down from the back porch.

Eric pulled me to him quickly causing me to shriek. Of course it made him smirk.

"Eric," I tried to pull away but he kept his hold on me. I was held against his shirtless, sweaty body as he looked down at me. "You have deliveries to make," I reminded him.

He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Keep dinner warm for me," he mumbled before kissing me again.

I wait for him to return that night but he doesn't come back in the next few minutes as he said he would. Not once do I think that he has left Amity because really after he asked for that second chance I truly believed that that's what we were working on, a brand new start. I briefly touched my still flat stomach and let out a sigh. I had planned to tell him over dinner but it has been a while and now I wanted nothing more than to keep it a secret. Where was he so late this night? I hated second guessing him again. It was darker than usual when I finally decided to eat dinner alone. Even after that was finished he still had not returned yet.

Pouring me a hot bath, there was still no sound of his return. The wagon was still empty from its spot in the front of our small little home. I combed through my hair, drying it with a towel as I walked again towards the back porch. Maybe he was out there. Sometimes he would lay down in the wagon and call me out there so we could look at the stars. But he wasn't there either. Maybe he was getting bored again, I thought. No, I quickly shook my head and walked back in.

"Myra."

I stopped and stared at the person standing in our living room.

"Four," I replied as he took three quick strides and wrapped an arm around me tightly. I returned the hug, closing my eyes and enjoying my brother's comfort for a moment. "What's going on," I pulled back and looked up at him. "Is everything okay?"

"We're going outside the City," he replied. "And I asked Eric to come with us."

Someone cleared their throat behind us. I turned to see Eric standing there looking at me. "Can you give us a moment, Four," Eric asked as Four nodded and then left.

"No," I told Eric without having him talk once Four exited the front door.

"You didn't even let me explain."

"Because I don't need to."

"There's something going on outside the City and it has to do with all of us in here. The thing Jeanine had me looking for, she was right Myra. Abnegation was hiding something. It was a video from someone outside the City."

"Why does it always have to go back to my mother," I asked. "I thought we forgot about her and moved on?"

"We did."

"Then why..."

"They're going outside the City. Things aren't good in here with Evelyn and the facitonless taking over, Myra," Eric said. "This is a chance for me."

"I know," I yelled. "You think that you're nothing now and that somehow this is a chance for you to be someone. You were always someone to me, Eric! Don't you get that? Am I not enough for you anymore?"

"That's not it."

"Yes it is. You're bored and tired of this life, aren't you? I know there was an adjustment period but Eric, this has got to stop. My mother is dead. You could have been too. There's nothing more you can do."

"I can makes things right."

I shook my head.

"Myra, I can makes things right. Not just for us but everyone else in the City," he stated.

"I don't like it."

"Myra, this is a chance for me to..."

"I'm pregnant, Eric," I said quickly.

"To make a diff," Eric paused. "Say that again."

"I'm pregnant," I repeated. "I was going to tell you tonight. I wanted us to have a nice dinner and," I smiled as tears formed at my eyes. "I just wanted things to be normal," I looked down and shook my head.

Eric wrapped his arms around me and let out a sigh against my hair. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Like I said I wanted to have a nice dinner," I mumbled as I held onto his half buttoned shirt.

"I'm happy you know," he said causing me to look up. "You said that you're not enough for me," he started. "But you are more than enough, Myra. I'm happy with you. I'm content with this small life we got going here right now. I'm not looking for an out. I'm just looking at a way to redeem myself."

"You don't owe anyone anything," I replied.

"I owe it to myself. I owe it to you, to our baby," he touched my stomach and leaned down to kiss me. "I don't want him or her to know that their father helped destroy an entire faction. Instead their father is someone who saved a City."

"Eric," I shook my head as tears began to fall.

"I'll be back before you even know I've been gone. Before," he smiled and knelt down to kiss my stomach. "Before this little one starts to get any bigger. I promise you. I'll come back to both of you."

Reluctantly I let Eric leave with Four. Days had turned into weeks and I still had heard no news of Eric or Four. I had no idea who had gone with them either. All I knew was that they went somewhere outside the City to speak to someone about what was going on inside the City. It had been almost two months since Eric had left. I had been outside taking down the bed sheets from the line when Johanna had stopped by to visit with me. The visit was brief and basically to see how I was doing. I sat down slowly and immediately she noticed how I shifted my still small baby bump around.

"How long," Johanna smiled.

"Three months now I believe," I smiled in return.

"Is that why you weren't at the daycare this morning?"

"Yes, I was feeling a little under the weather. I did not mean to skip out..."

"Oh no, it is quite alright," she patted my hand and looked off into the woods. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay. They said that a couple factionless appeared at our borders last night."

"What," I asked starting to panic.

"They're running out of supplies in the City. Evelyn is having a hard time controlling them," she said.

"Do you have any news on Four or Eric?"

Johanna shook her head sadly. "I do hope that they hurry," she said.


	13. Chapter 13

**I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.**

* * *

I was well into my fourth month of pregnancy and definitely beginning to show when I had received news of Eric. It had been a wonderful day at the day care. We had received a couple new families from Abnegation and Erudite who had decided to take refuge in Amity. The City really had turned into an awful place as a few of them mentioned. For the most part no one really talked about what was going on outside of Amity. It was like there truly was peace here in one faction.

I had taken to this cute little brunette who was three years old. That little brunette girl from Erudite was bright and though her mother instantly recognized me she did not say anything which I was glad for. It seemed to be only her and her daughter. Because of her knowledge in the medical field she was put to work in a nearby greenhouse that grew herbs. It was also where the Amity made their own remedies for certain ailments.

Today she had mentioned my mother and it was the first time it a while that I actually heard her name.

"Jeanine did not like working with Amity medicine. She felt it was more spiritual than anything factual."

I let out a nervous laugh. "She didn't believe in nurture either," I finished with a slight bitterness in my tone.

The woman noticed and touched my shoulder gently. "We have all suffered through this it seems," she smiled at me when she picked up her daughter.

"We have," I agreed.

"It seems though, the future looks bright for you," she touched my stomach.

"I hope that it is," I answered.

"Did you lose your husband also?"

"Excuse me," I looked up.

"I just noticed that you were here by yourself. I assumed that," she shook her head. "I'm sorry. It's just that I came here because it's only me and my daughter. My husband was killed by a factionless man," the woman said sadly turning her daughter's head the other to cover her ears. "He wore a patch over his eye."

My hand fell from my stomach and I stared at her. It was Edward.

"I'll never forget the look on his face when he shot my husband." The woman shook her head and looked away. "It haunts me sometimes."

"What happened to the man?"

"They said that he was killed," she answered.

"If he is gone then why come here?"

"Even after that man who killed him died," she turned back to me. "I couldn't stand to live in the apartment where my husband was shot before my eyes. I just had to get away from the City. I had to start new for my daughter."

There was a moment of silence before her daughter started to move around again.

"I hope you find what you're looking for," I told her with a soft smile as she nodded.

I took a deep breath and swallowed. I had not been told about Edward's death until now. True it could have been any factionless man that this woman was referring to but something told me that it was Edward. I didn't want to believe that he would shoot a man in front of his family but I knew that the Edward I had known had changed. He had grown cold and harsh while we left Dauntless. There was an adjustment period and he did not adjust well. Part of my heart still ached. I did come to love Edward. He was someone that my mother truly could not hold down. In the end though, another woman and her ideals had got to him and he was no longer the same person.

I had been cleaning the outside porch diligently lately. Anything that could keep my mind preoccupied. It was then that a familiar bell began to ring. I knew that sound. Johanna hold told me that it meant someone was approaching, someone threatening. I quickly closed the doors and windows. I had just reached the back door when it flung open. A man with black pants and grey shirt stood there.

"Well, well," he smiled. His face and hands were dirty. He walked in slowly. "It seems I found a little lady at home."

"Whatever it is you're looking for, you won't find it here," I told him.

"It seems I already have," he stalked forward.

I backed up into the small table, causing the chair on the side to fall down. I turned to look at it and the man used the distraction to grab me. I fought my hardest and did everything that I could remember that Eric said to do. I even poked the guys' eyes. It only made him angrier with me. He had managed to rip my skirt and made some stupid comment about pregnant girls being the best. He pushed my shirt with his greedy hands as we fought on the floor of the living room. I continued to shuffle back, trying to get out of his hold and away from him.

His hands pushed down on my stomach and I felt a jolt of pain shoot through me. I screamed out in horror, hoping that the baby was hurt.

"That's right," he taunted. "Stay still or I'll punch your stomach again."

"No you won't."

The man turned around only to get shot in the head. I yelled in horror as he collapsed on me. Someone had pulled him off of me as I scurried off the floor, looking down at my stomach. A bruise sat on the side and I continued to rub it frantically. I couldn't feel the baby. I just couldn't feel it.

"Myra."

I turned and threw myself into Four's arms. "My baby," I whispered.

"Come on," he moved me to the bed. "Peter, take care of that," Four ordered.

"Peter," I asked looking around but Four picked me up and carried me off into the room.

Four didn't let me ask about anything else, not even Eric. He made me lay back and rest. He told me to close my eyes and not move. I listened to him. Within a few minutes or maybe more I was pulled away by a stinging pain in my side. I jumped up only to have Johanna gently push my shoulder back.

"Rest Myra darling," she said soothingly.

"Where is Four?"

"Everything will be okay now," she assured me as she took a warm cloth and pressed it to my forehead. "Everything will be okay now," she repeated as I drifted back off into sleep.

I had waked up moments later to someone mumbling next to my bed. Slowly my eyes opened and I saw a very tired looking Four. I let out a sigh and turned my head towards him. There was another man in the room that I did not recognize.

"How are you feeling," Four asked.

"Well enough," I muttered. "What's going on Four? Where is Eric? The baby? Is it..."

"Johanna and another woman were in here. They said everything looks fine. They wanted to get a machine from Erudite but the factionless did destroy a lot of the technology there after your mother was murdered."

"Why didn't anyone tell me about Edward?"

Four sighed. "Tris had seen it, his murder that is. He changed a whole lot Myra."

"I know he did," I closed my eyes.

"You were starting a new life. When I came to pick up Eric, you looked like you were happy and didn't need depressing news like that," Four answered.

"Eric," I opened my eyes turning to Four.

"I was going to leave to retrieve him and Tris along with our other companions."

"What happened out there, Four? Why did it take so long?"

Four sighed deeply again. "None of this was real, Myra. All of it was a set up. The Founders had started this City believing that we would be the answer to the World's problems."

"I guess they didn't know that we would be causing a few problems of our own, didn't they," I joked as Four smiled.

"They did and they did nothing," Four stated.

"What do you mean?"

"They have eyes and ears on us, Myra. They record our every movement. They could see what we were doing. They have been watching us," Four responded. "Some of them are highly entertained by our lives," he shook his head. "It's sickening really."

"So you all could see us?"

Four nodded. "The first couple days we were there, we had to tear Eric away from the screens that showed Amity," he chuckled. I smiled a bit, happy that at least I knew he was missing me too.

"Why did you all come back?"

"To make a long story short, things weren't good for us out there either. The guy who heads the program out there, he wanted to release a serum that restarts everything. He calls our City a little experiment. We came here to stop him."

"What do you restart everything," I questioned.

"Give us new memories," Four answered.

"I'm assuming you all stopped him then?"

His face fell. "We didn't get to everyone in time. So there are a few people who still know about the attack on Abnegation as well as the factionless take over."

"We're hoping to restore balance soon," the other man stepped forward.

"Myra this is Amar. Amar was an instructor at Dauntless when I was just an initiate."

"It's a pleasure to meet Four's sister," Amar nodded his head at me.

"We should be going," the Candor girl from initiation walked in. "Hello Myra."

"Hi," I replied shyly. I turned to Four. "You'll bring back Eric?"

"Yes, Myra."

Within minutes they were gone. Johanna had stopped by not too long after their absence to see how I was doing. She bought in a couple other Amity nurses with her who apparently had their memories wiped clean. They had no knowledge of how they knew me or what had happened to them. Johanna smiled and said that soon everything would be restored. She didn't like it either but it did put an end to certain things.

I briefly wondered about the woman and her daughter from the daycare. Something told me that she would be glad to have been rid of her nightmares. I wouldn't want my husband's killer haunting me in my dreams at night. I suppose there were some positive things to note with this memory serum. Later on that evening a man appeared at my front door and Johanna welcomed him in.

"Myra, this is a friend of mine. His name is Marcus," Johanna smiled.

I looked up and noticed that it was indeed Marcus Eaton, the man who was my father. I had always wanted this, to see him and speak to him. So many questions ran through my mind at this moment. But the look on his face told me that he had no idea what was going on. I let out a small sigh and smiled. He had been given the serum.

"He will be making his journey outside and I was thinking that he could stop here first," Johanna explained.

I shook my head. "I forgive him," I whispered as Johanna smiled and led Marcus back outside.

That man was never my father. He abandoned my mother. He cruelly mistreated his wife and abused the only other family member that I had, Four. It was best that I knew nothing from him and just let the past go. The Erudite woman was right, I thought as I touched my stomach. I had a future ahead of me.

"You look like you're a million miles away from here."

I smiled at the voice. "I feel like I am," I replied.

"Well," he cleared his throat. "I wish I wasn't away. In fact I'm glad that I'm right here."

I turned around just as came to stop right in front of me.

"I love you Myra."

"I love you Eric."

Months had passed by and it seemed like everything was back to normal. The factions had gone back into effect. Abnegation had set up a new Council and Erudite had also chosen a new leader. Eric was invited to return back to Dauntless. Of course he would serve as a leader next to Four and their two other leaders. To my shock and surprise, Eric had declined. We welcomed our son to the City just a week ago. Four and Tris along with a few others had stopped by. Once again, Four extended the invitation to him but Eric had decided where he wanted to be.

I had told him right before the baby came that we could go to Erudite and start a new but he felt that he couldn't do that either. To truly start brand new, he said we could live here in Amity and that's what he did.

"Thank you Four," I said as he got ready to leave. Tris along with Uriah and Christina had started leaving.

"He really wants to stay," Four said looking over at Eric who held our son in his arms as he waved at the others who were leaving.

"I'm just as shocked as you are."

"Be brave, Myra," Four turned and kissed my forehead.

"Four," I said as he pulled back. "You didn't tell Tris did you that we were related?" Four tucked his hands in his pockets looking a bit embarrassed. "You should," I commanded as he nodded and smiled in that dorky smile that he had.

Eric and Four shook hands and without saying anything else, Four ran to catch up with the others. Eric turned and held our son to look over at me.

"There's mommy," Eric told our son as I smiled at them.

I held up my arms as Eric walked over and reluctantly gave him up to me. Ever since he was born, Eric didn't like putting him down. Every little noise he made or movement he would do made Eric panic. He had thanked Four a million times for coming here in time to me. The only thing that he hated was that the man was dead. I think Eric wanted to do the honors himself.

"Four tells me that you declined to return to Dauntless," I said as I bundled our son up.

"I did."

"Care to tell me why?"

Eric walked over and gently kissed our son's forehead. "He is the reason why." Eric turned to look up at me. "My life and my family are here."

"We could have gone with you."

Eric shook his head. "No," he looked around. "This is our home. This is where I am a leader, where I am a someone and that's all because of you. You will always be the reason why I am strong, smart and now," he tenderly looked down at our son. "You are the reason why I was given a second chance and I am not giving that up."

* * *

THE END


End file.
